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

    Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Here’s your health checklist before the move

    Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Thailand is a popular choice for retirees because of its beautiful landscapes, warm climate, and affordable living. Cities like Chiang Mai and coastal areas offer a relaxed lifestyle with friendly communities. The country also...

  • Thai Cabinet to decide on Chinese-built submarine purchase

    Thai Cabinet to decide on Chinese-built submarine purchase

    The Thai Cabinet is set to make a final verdict regarding the purchase of a Chinese-built submarine, stated Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang. The decision comes after the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) approved the use of a Chinese engine for the submarine and recommended extending the contract. Sutin is expected to discuss the matter further with Royal Thai Navy (RTN)…

  • Bangkok braces for rising dust pollution, considers work-from-home scenario

    Bangkok braces for rising dust pollution, considers work-from-home scenario

    Bangkok’s City Hall is on high alert as it keeps a close watch on the escalating ultra-fine dust pollution levels. The governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, raised the possibility of initiating a work-from-home programme if alarmingly unsafe levels persist for three days in a row. Chadchart yesterday indicated that a warning would be disseminated through the City Hall’s network, which boasts over…

  • Royal Thai Navy honours Krom Luang Chumphon with tribute walk-run event

    Royal Thai Navy honours Krom Luang Chumphon with tribute walk-run event

    The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) yesterday staged an event titled Walk-Run in Tribute to His Royal Highness Krom Luang 100 Years Apakorn Day. The event was inaugurated by Admiral Adung Phan-iam, Commander of the RTN, along with His Royal Highness Chiyakorn Apakorn Sesavej Chairman of the Apakorn Foundation. The event took place at the Navy Command Headquarters, Wang Nanthana Nayan…

  • Tao Ngoi’s tortoise statue: Thailand’s new hotspot for lottery enthusiasts

    Tao Ngoi’s tortoise statue: Thailand’s new hotspot for lottery enthusiasts

    The famed Tortoise Statue of Tao Ngoii has become a hot spot for lottery enthusiasts seeking lucky numbers after its landscape was revitalised. The changes, which took place at the end of 2023 in the Tao Ngoi public park, have turned the area into a flourishing tourist attraction. The park is home to two large Naga sculptures located near the…

  • Rare event in northern Thailand sparks lottery number hunt

    Rare event in northern Thailand sparks lottery number hunt

    In an unusual occurrence in Surin province, a steel tree branch pierced through the trunk of a peacock tree, sparking the interest of local lottery enthusiasts. The unique event, witnessed by 74 year old Sai Wansiri and other villagers, took place in the forest next to a paddy field in Nong Sai village. The villagers, armed with flowers, incense sticks,…

  • Oink oink: Unidentified man allegedly rapes pregnant pig in Buriram

    Oink oink: Unidentified man allegedly rapes pregnant pig in Buriram

    An unidentified man allegedly raped a pregnant pig in a pen at a Thai woman’s home leaving residents living in fear in the Chalerm Phra Kiat district in the Isaan province of Buriram. Concerns grew among locals in the area after a 40 year old pig owner named Kong, revealed a shocking story to Channel 3. Kong explained that she…

  • Thai data privacy watchdog uncovers massive breach involving over 5,000 organisations

    Thai data privacy watchdog uncovers massive breach involving over 5,000 organisations

    Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) recently uncovered a significant privacy breach involving 5,261 organisations. Among these, a majority of 4,886 were government agencies from both central and local sectors. The lapse in data protection was observed between November 9 of the previous year and January 12. The violations were primarily due to excessively revealing personal data on various websites…

  • Glove wars: Public Warehouse Organisation gears up for legal battle over undelivered goods

    Glove wars: Public Warehouse Organisation gears up for legal battle over undelivered goods

    The Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO) is currently embarking on a legal battle against its former director and six other officials for undelivered gloves. The lawsuit is centred around the return of a 2 billion baht deposit that was paid for a 112 billion baht rubber glove purchase during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was never delivered. Kriangsak Prateepvisut, the PWO director,…

  • 19 year old Thai faces 5 charges for pimping out 13 year old boy

    19 year old Thai faces 5 charges for pimping out 13 year old boy

    Police arrested a 19 year old Thai man in Bangkok on Saturday night, on five charges of pimping out a 13 year old boy. Patrol and Special Operation Division officers received a tip-off on January 13 that the teenager, 19 year old Peeraphat Bootcham, was procuring boys aged under 15 years old to provide sex services. Peeraphat advertised the services…

  • Ancient artefacts over 600 years old discovered in Phayao province

    Ancient artefacts over 600 years old discovered in Phayao province

    The Department of Fine Arts began inspecting a historical site and ancient artefacts over 600 years old, discovered by locals in Phayao province. The villagers had unearthed coins and ancient Buddha statues while renovating a sacred site. The discovery occurred today in Ban Hua Khua, Chun District, Phayao Province. Villagers revealed the discovery of a large number of ancient artefacts following…

  • Bangkok man arrested for selling unauthorised SIM cards online for 40 baht

    Bangkok man arrested for selling unauthorised SIM cards online for 40 baht

    A 41 year old Thai man was arrested yesterday for selling unauthorised SIM cards through Facebook. This was part of a three-month investigation led by police officers Worawit Yanchinda, Wasan Thawatchaiwirut, Nat Thadanai Bamrungsri, and Narongdet. The accused, Chaiyot, was apprehended in a parking lot at a Ratchayothin Zone mall in Lat Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, with 1,465 SIM cards, a…

  • Driver of sedan involved in taxi collision to undergo alcohol test in Thailand

    Driver of sedan involved in taxi collision to undergo alcohol test in Thailand

    Police are set to conduct a thorough physical examination of the driver involved in a collision with a taxi on Ratchada Road in Bangkok. Suspicion was raised after a yellow liquid was found discarded in his white sedan, prompting an investigation into potential alcohol consumption. The offending vehicle, which had been abandoned in a side street, has been seized and…

  • Thai health expert urges caution on mRNA vaccines due to rising disease rates

    Thai health expert urges caution on mRNA vaccines due to rising disease rates

    With the death toll rising and various diseases increasing from head to toe, the use of mRNA vaccines has been in question. Teerawat Hemajuta, Head of the Health Science Centre for Emerging Diseases at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, called for the Ministry of Public Health to study this data before recommending the frequency of vaccination. Teerawat asserts that the…

  • Bank of Thailand resists calls for policy adjustments amid economic slump

    Bank of Thailand resists calls for policy adjustments amid economic slump

    The Bank of Thailand (BoT) countered government calls for monetary policy adjustments to stimulate the country’s slumping economy. Piti Disyatat, BoT Assistant Governor, stated today, January 15, that interest rates, already quite low compared to global standards, are not the solution to an economy being pummelled by external factors like dwindling global demand. Piti emphasised that the country’s lacklustre economic…

  • Tantrum in the sun: Foreigners’ sunbathing sparks debate at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok

    Tantrum in the sun: Foreigners’ sunbathing sparks debate at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok

    A debate erupted over two foreigners sunbathing at Sanam Luang, a leisure park in front of Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok. Numerous netizens expressed disapproval of the act, while some argued that the foreigners might be behaving based on cultural differences. Additionally, there were calls for the park to be opened to the public. Facebook user Kamron Patprayoon shared a…

  • Sedan’s shocking hit and run on Ratchada Road sets social media abuzz (video)

    Sedan’s shocking hit and run on Ratchada Road sets social media abuzz (video)

    A shocking road incident involving a white sedan and a yellow-green taxi recently set social media abuzz. The white car was filmed reversing into a stationary taxi in the middle of Ratchada Road before speeding away from the scene, sparking widespread online debate. The video, shared by the popular Red Skull page, left both locals and tourists in shock, seeking…

  • Mystery shrouds millionaire model Yoko’s death: Suicide or foul play?

    Mystery shrouds millionaire model Yoko’s death: Suicide or foul play?

    The death of Praowrawee Sahasathapong, commonly known as Yoko, a millionaire model, continues to be shrouded in mystery. Recently, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wittawat Chinkham of the fifth precinct confirmed the initial theory of suicide, following the discovery of cyanide and a farewell message. However, Yoko’s mother remains unconvinced of her daughter’s self-inflicted death. On November 1, Yoko’s body was discovered.…

  • Migration education: Thai vice minister urges deep understanding to tackle illegal migration roots

    Migration education: Thai vice minister urges deep understanding to tackle illegal migration roots

    Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasised the necessity for a profound understanding of illegal migration among lawmakers and the general public to address the root causes of the issue. He voiced these comments during a recent seminar, Shaping Public Perception Towards Migrants, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Organisation for Migration. Sihasak pointed out…

  • Astrologer predicts financial prosperity for three zodiac signs in lottery season

    Astrologer predicts financial prosperity for three zodiac signs in lottery season

    As the lottery season approaches, people are hopeful to boost their finances at the start of the year. According to astrologer Thosaporn, three zodiac signs are poised for financial fortune. Thosaporn reveals that those belonging to the zodiac signs of Aquarius (born between February 13 and March 14), Cancer (July 17 and August 16), and Sagittarius (November 17 and December…

  • Thai man wrongly arrested for wife’s death, CCTV exposes 5 teenage murderers (video)

    Thai man wrongly arrested for wife’s death, CCTV exposes 5 teenage murderers (video)

    Police arrested a Thai man who confessed to murdering his wife, only to later discover his innocence and identify five teenagers as the guilty perpetrators of the crime in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo. Police discovered their error upon reviewing CCTV footage. Aranyaprathet Police Station officers in Sa Kaeo were alerted to the discovery of a dead body in…

  • Fatal highway collision in Prachin Buri leaves woman dead and man critically injured

    Fatal highway collision in Prachin Buri leaves woman dead and man critically injured

    A fatal highway collision between a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler lorry left a woman dead and a man critically injured. The incident occurred around 12.50am today on the main highway between Prachantakham and Kabin Buri, known as Suwanson Road (Route 33), in Prachin Buri province. The 18-wheeler, a Hino brand with license plates 70-2949 and 70-2849 from Chai Nat,…

  • Thai market trader extorted by fake officers for 20,000 baht

    Thai market trader extorted by fake officers for 20,000 baht

    Four men, posing as officers from the Crime Suppression Division, extorted a 39 year old market trader, known as Ta, of 20,000 baht. The incident occurred on January 9 when the man, without showing any legal identification or paperwork, confiscated about 20 fashion bags from his stall at a local flea market. Ta explained that the men proceeded to lead…

  • Tragic motorcycle sidecar accident claims life of Thai child

    Tragic motorcycle sidecar accident claims life of Thai child

    A tragic accident occurred just a day after Children’s Day when five related children were driving a motorcycle sidecar home and crashed into an electricity pole. The oldest of the children, a ten year old girl, lost her life. The unfortunate incident took place around 9.30pm yesterday, January 14, when Thai Buddhist Charity Foundation volunteers in Kabin Buri were notified…

  • Thai homeowner demands responsibility from marathon runner pooping outside house (video)

    Thai homeowner demands responsibility from marathon runner pooping outside house (video)

    A homeowner in Thailand is requesting accountability from both a marathon runner and event organisers after a CCTV camera captured a female runner pooping outside her home in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The 47 year old homeowner, Walaikorn, took to social media to demand responsibility from the relevant authorities. She shared footage of the incident with the public,…

  • Severe weather warning for 18 provinces in Thailand

    Severe weather warning for 18 provinces in Thailand

    The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued a severe weather warning today for 18 provinces spanning the north and south of the country. Heavy rains, strong winds, and hailstorms are expected, posing a potential danger to residents. The department advises people to avoid open areas and weakly constructed buildings. This weather forecast for the next 24 hours predicts another western…

  • Thai Prime Minister to woo global giants at World Economic Forum

    Thai Prime Minister to woo global giants at World Economic Forum

    Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is set to meet with several leading global private companies, confident that these interactions will attract further trade and investment from abroad. These meetings will take place during the World Economic Forum (WEF) of 2024 and are expected to significantly benefit the Thai economy. Chai Watcharong, Prime Minister Office spokesperson, revealed that during the WEF…

  • Concerns after two foreign women sunbathe in Chiang Mai temple

    Concerns after two foreign women sunbathe in Chiang Mai temple

    A Thai tourist called on the authorities to put up warning signs after spotting two foreign women sunbathing inside Chiang Man Temple in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The Thai tourist who witnessed the foreigners’ action took a picture and sent it to Channel 3 around 1.30pm yesterday, January 14. The picture showed two foreign women in shorts and…

  • Hells Angels chief’s wings clipped in Bangkok bust: Fleeing Australia on fake wings

    Hells Angels chief’s wings clipped in Bangkok bust: Fleeing Australia on fake wings

    The Thailand Immigration Bureau (IB) swooped to arrest Hells Angels chief Rodrigo Elices who fled Australia on a false passport on charges of drug trafficking, smuggling and firearms at a luxury apartment in Bangkok. Thai officials revealed that Elices entered the country last month using an Italian passport with a suspected false identity. Fingerprints associated with the Italian passport were…

  • Bangkok residents warned of escalating air pollution, urged to work remotely

    Bangkok residents warned of escalating air pollution, urged to work remotely

    The Pollution Control Department (PCD) warned residents of Bangkok to prepare for an escalation in ultra-fine particle pollution in the air, which is anticipated to worsen by Wednesday. As a result of this alert, the PCD has implored individuals residing in the capital to opt for remote working until the situation improves. The intensifying accumulation of PM2.5 pollutants, according to…

  • Thai government’s plan to open drug rehab centres in army barracks raises concerns

    Thai government’s plan to open drug rehab centres in army barracks raises concerns

    Civil society groups are expressing apprehension regarding the Thai government’s decision to establish drug rehabilitation centres, known as Rakjai centres, in 52 army barracks across the country. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin highlighted the nation’s drug issues on social media and outlined the government’s plan to utilise military premises for drug rehabilitation programmes. Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang has since been involved…