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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Sponsored Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money
Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...
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Policy scam-dal: Broker swindles 1 million baht from Alzheimer’s victim
A female insurance broker allegedly swindled 1 million baht from her client, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, leaving the victim in a critical condition. Relatives of the victim, 62 year old Marasri, sought assistance from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after discovering the loss. The family reported that 1 million baht was stolen, and the suspect, Waewta, only returned 300,000 baht…
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Thailand faces cold weather, frost and southern thunderstorms
Thailand is experiencing cool to cold weather, with frost reported in mountainous regions and thunderstorms anticipated in five southern provinces. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts temperature changes and advises caution for high waves at sea as of January 8. In the coming 24 hours, temperatures in northern and northeastern Thailand are expected to rise by 1 to 2 degrees…
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PM Paetongtarn defends Thaksin amid racist remark controversy
Stepping out from a Cabinet lunch today, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra launched into a defence of her father, Thaksin, after he was caught in making controversial racist comments during a rally speech. Thaksin’s remarks yesterday, January 6, criticised as discriminatory, sparked a backlash and calls from Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit for Paetongtarn to reprimand him. Initially caught off-guard by the journalists’ pressing…
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300 same-sex couples to wed in Bangkok as new law takes effect
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) anticipates that approximately 300 same-sex couples will get married in Bangkok on January 23 when the Marriage Equality Law comes into effect. Preparations for the event are underway, with Bangkok Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon visiting district offices to oversee arrangements for marriage registrations. District officials have received training to guide couples through the necessary steps…
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Bangkok: Iranians nabbed in Yaowarat robbery drama
Two Iranian nationals were arrested after allegedly robbing a Vietnamese tourist of 150,000 baht in a brazen street-side theft in Bangkok’s bustling Yaowarat district. The drama unfolded yesterday evening, January 6, when a 27 year old Vietnamese tourist approached police near the Hotel Royal Bangkok, claiming she had been attacked and robbed. According to her account, she had just withdrawn…
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Search for missing dog turns into scandal as cheque reward valid only in 2125
A dramatic turn of events unfolded when a cheque reward offered to someone for locating a missing dog and returning it to its owner was discovered to be invalid for 100 years, with a date of maturity set for 2125. The Thai woman, Kluay, took to social media to share a missing poster of her pet dog, Thong Dee. The…
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Transport Ministry plans 319 billion baht rail upgrades
The Transport Ministry is planning to initiate several significant public transportation projects early this year, pending approval from the Cabinet, to enhance national connectivity. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit stated that the projects involve extending the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) Dark Red and Light Red lines and advancing the second phase of double-track upgrades in the north, northeast, and south.…
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Senior moment: Helpful young man taxis off with granny’s goods (video)
A young man assisted an elderly woman carrying numerous items onto a shared taxi but accidentally forgot to return her belongings after holding on to them. Realising his oversight only after the vehicle had departed, he ran after the taxi to return them to her. The incident was shared by TikTok user @yutthana696, who posted a clip of the event.…
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Elderly cash windfall: Thai govt handouts confirmed by January 29
The Thai government has officially confirmed that elderly citizens will receive their long-awaited 10,000 baht stimulus payments before January 29. Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, spilled the beans during a press conference at the Ministry of Finance today, January 7. “We assure you, the 10,000-baht payments will hit accounts before the deadline. The exact transfer date hinges on a final…
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Chinese actor’s real-life drama ends on Thai-Myanmar border
A Chinese actor has been found after mysteriously vanishing without a trace yesterday on the Thai-Myanmar border in a real-life plot twist befitting a film. The disappearance of Wang Xing, famously known as Xingxing, sent shockwaves across social media, lighting up concerns about safety in Southeast Asia. Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed today, January 7, that Wang was discovered…
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Rusty’s journey: Rescued Thai dog experiences snow for the first time in UK
Niall Harbison, the founder of the Happy Doggo sanctuary in Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, rescued a stray dog that had been chained in a shack in a forest and found him a new home in the UK, where he now enjoys a life surrounded by fluffy snow. Harbison, originally from Ireland, established his…
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Thai health minister reassures public over hMPV concerns
Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin addressed concerns about the spread of the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in China yesterday, January 6 at the Department of Health Service Support. The minister explained that hMPV is a seasonal virus that occurs annually and is self-limiting, often resolving without medical intervention. In previous years, such common illnesses were not highlighted, as they typically…
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CNY spending boom: Thailand poised for festive cash splash
Thailand’s economy is set to light up like a firecracker this Chinese New Year, with spending forecast to rise by over 3%, according to the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Buoyed by a recovering economy, government cash injections, and a surge of Chinese tourists, the festival promises to spark a celebratory…
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Playground stabbing in Samut Prakan after drunken argument
An altercation between two friends at a playground in Praeksa Mai subdistrict, Mueang Samut Prakan district, led to a stabbing incident. Yesterday, January 6, at 7pm, Bang Pu police in Samut Prakan responded to a report of a man being stabbed during an argument. At the scene, they found 38 year old Aui with a severe stab wound to his…
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Thailand steals the spotlight at China’s Harbin Ice Festival (video)
Thailand has taken the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival by storm, dazzling visitors with a spectacular cultural display and an enchanting photo exhibition. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has pulled out all the stops at this year’s Nihao! China: China Ice and Snow Tourism Overseas Promotion Season 2025, making waves with its Thai Charm showcase. The festival, which kicked off…
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BRN operative arrested in Yala for planned January attack
Police apprehended a Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) operative involved in a 2017 bombing incident while he was hiding in Than To district, Yala province. The suspect confessed to entering the village with plans to attack yesterday, January 6. Police received reports from locals about a suspicious man blending in with residents in the Mueang 6 Santi 2 village, Mae Wat…
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Thai mother condemns restaurant after hot soup spills on 4 year old son
A Thai mother condemned workers at a restaurant in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok after a worker accidentally spilled hot soup on her four year old son’s arm on Saturday. The 44 year old veterinarian, Chorphet, shared her family’s story with the public, hoping that the restaurant would take appropriate action regarding the incident. The accident occurred at the Shabu-Shabu restaurant…
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Couple killed in Phatthalung collision returning from flood relief
A tragic accident occurred yesterday in Phatthalung province, when a couple, returning from filing for flood relief funds, were killed in a collision with a truck. Police Lieutenant Colonel Arkhom Panjan, deputy inspector of Pak Phayun District Police Station, yesterday, January 6, received a report of a fatal accident involving a truck and a motorcycle at the Ban Kai intersection,…
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Rare black leopard struts its stuff in Kaeng Krachan park
Visitors to Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province were left awestruck when a rare black leopard made a rare and regal appearance, strutting along the roadside for more than half an hour. This extraordinary encounter, which occurred yesterday morning, January 6, was revealed by Mongkol Chaiyaphakdi, the park’s chief. The elusive feline was spotted at kilometre markers 20 to…
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Ex-wife seeks justice over corrupt ex-cyber cop threats
Athiwat Sirikangwalsong, the founder of the Dare to Step Forward page, yesterday accompanied the ex-wife of a former cyber police officer to file a plea for justice at the Technology Crime Suppression Division headquarters in Mueang Thong Thani, Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province. They submitted evidence to Police Lieutenant General Trirong Phiwphan, requesting protection after the woman exposed corrupt practices…
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Thai drug addict arrested for sexually assaulting ex-mother-in-law
Police yesterday arrested a Thai drug-addict for sexually assaulting his 80 year old former mother-in-law in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The non-profit organisation Saimai Survive rescued the 80 year old woman, Jai, who was found sleeping on a thin mat by the roadside in the Nong Sarai sub-district, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. Jai told the organisation…
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Family receives ashes of Thai woman killed in South Korea crash
The family of a Thai woman who died in a plane crash in South Korea gathered at Udon Thani International Airport to receive her ashes. The South Korean ambassador expressed his condolences and accompanied the ashes to the family home. A Jeju Air flight, Boeing 737-800, carrying 175 passengers from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Muan International Airport in Southwest South…
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Spotless honesty: Pattaya street cleaner returns lost wallet
A Pattaya street cleaner has stolen the spotlight with a simple yet extraordinary act of honesty, earning admiration far and wide. The cleaner, whose identity remains unknown, stumbled upon a wallet while working on the bustling South Pattaya Walking Street and went above and beyond to ensure its safe return to its rightful owner. Eyewitnesses and online commenters hailed the cleaner’s…
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Japanese man pickpocketed on Bangkok MRT, credit cards used in Isaan
A Japanese man became another victim of credit card fraud in Bangkok while travelling on the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) train. This incident comes hot on the heels of another credit card fraud victim yesterday. The Facebook page Drama-addict shared details of a Thai woman who lost her credit cards after visiting an onsen in Bangkok yesterday, January 6. Her…
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Arrest warrant issued after fatal petrol station shooting in Songkhla
An arrest warrant has been issued for the gunman who fatally shot a former petrol station employee in Songkhla province. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, January 5 at 5am, was captured by CCTV cameras at a petrol station on Kanjanavanich Road in the Prik subdistrict, Sadao district. The victim, 23 year old Nadon, rode his motorcycle into the station…
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Thai snake charmer fined for squeezing influencer with overpriced photos
The Ratchaburi Provincial Commercial Affairs Office fined a Thai snake photoshoot operator 1,000 baht for allegedly overcharging a South Korean influencer 2,500 baht for photos with his snakes at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the central province of Ratchaburi. Esor News reposted part of a video recorded by the South Korean influencer during her visit to the floating market with…
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DDC issues raw pork warning as infection cases surge
People are strongly urged to avoid consuming raw or undercooked pork to safeguard against infection from streptococcus suis, also known as hearing loss fever, which can be life-threatening. This advisory comes in response to reports of a rise in cases during the recent extended holiday period in certain provinces. Doctor Taweechai Visanuyothin, Department of Disease Control (DDC) director of Regional…
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Jealous gunman arrested for shooting over woman in Udon Thani
A gunman has been arrested for shooting a 26 year old man twice in the back in a dispute over a woman. The incident occurred on Saturday, January 4 in the Mueang district of Udon Thani province. The victim, Apisit, was shot on the road beneath the Huai Luang Dam but managed to seek help from the dam’s security guard,…
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Thai man found dead in Buriram pond after motorbike crash
A man was found dead in a pond after allegedly taking a motorcycle without permission from a village in Buriram province. Police Lieutenant Sornsak Phakratok from Satuek District Police Station, Buriram, received a report yesterday, January 6, from the village head of Ban Nong Nam Khun, Ron Thong subdistrict, Satuek district. The report indicated the discovery of a male body…
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Thailand video news | Drunken tourist attacks Phuket bikers over massage ride refusal, Thailand expands E-Visa program to nine African nations
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay delve into compelling stories from Thailand and across Asia. From a viral near-tragedy involving an elephant panic during a cultural ritual to a drunken tourist’s violent outburst in Phuket, the duo also covers the mysterious disappearance of a Chinese actor near the Thai-Myanmar border. Additional highlights include Thaksin Shinawatra’s controversial remarks sparking…
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