News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Thunderstorm warning: Thailand braced for a real down pour
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has sounded the alarm for today, warning tourists and residents to brace themselves as heavy rain is set to drench 49 provinces with thunderous booms and gusty gales, Bangkok included. Residents are urged to stay vigilant, as some areas could even see a surprise visit from hailstones. The current weather conditions are influenced by a…
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Foreigner killed in high-speed SUV crash in Rayong (video)
A foreigner drove his SUV at high speed and collided with a six-wheel truck and a motorcycle in the eastern province of Rayong. The foreign driver was killed, while the two Thai nationals involved sustained injuries. Dashcam footage from the six-wheel truck, which was shared on a news Facebook page, showed the black Ford Everest SUV travelling at high speed…
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Chinese steel firm delays Bangkok conference over safety
Chinese steel manufacturer Xin Ke Yuan Steel has decided to postpone its much-anticipated press conference on steel quality, opting to await further clarification from Thailand’s Industry Ministry. The move comes amid growing scrutiny over the company’s involvement in the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district and concerns over the safety of its products. The…
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Thailand and Bhutan sign landmark Free Trade Agreement
Thailand and Bhutan have signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), strengthening economic ties and paving the way for closer trade cooperation. The historic deal was signed during Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay’s visit to Bangkok last week, coinciding with the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. Bilateral trade between the two countries has already surpassed 460 million baht, and Tobgay expressed confidence…
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Pattaya resort worker arrested for rape and burglary
A Pattaya resort employee has been arrested for burglary and the rape of a colleague, which has rocked the seaside resort community. At 10.30am today, April 8, Police Lieutenant Colonel Arun Saphanon, Deputy Director of Investigation at Pattaya City Police Station, along with a team of investigators, served two arrest warrants at the home of 40 year old Samart Nakthong.…
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Watt’s next: Thailand powers up for electric vehicle revolution
Thailand’s government is committed to transforming the nation into an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hub, with a policy focused on stimulating demand to encourage consumer adoption. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul emphasised the importance of building a domestic EV supply to meet this demand. The government has shifted from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle production to an EV focus through…
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Pattaya thrives as other Thai destinations struggle this Songkran
As Thailand gears up for the Songkran Festival, Pattaya is making waves while other major tourist destinations struggle to keep up. Amidst a national decline in hotel bookings and a challenging economic landscape, Pattaya has emerged as a beacon of success, defying the odds and seeing a surge in tourism activity. While the overall outlook for Thailand’s tourism industry has…
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2 Thai teenagers drown in Suphan Buri canal while washing hair
Two Thai teenagers drowned in a canal in the central province of Suphan Buri after entering the water with a friend to wash their hair following a dyeing session. A seven year old girl ran from the Jorrakay Samphan Canal back to her community yesterday, April 7, to seek help after her two older friends, 15 year old Kate and…
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Worker crushed by crane in Sisaket pleads for help
A distressing case emerged from a residence in Suk Sawat subdistrict, Phrai Bueng district, Sisaket province, as a worker claimed negligence following a severe accident. The incident involved a 55 year old man, Somboon, who is now bedridden and requires oxygen support after being crushed by a crane basket during a demolition job. The employer allegedly offered minimal financial assistance…
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Chiang Mai prepares moat for Songkran with safety upgrades
As the Songkran festival approaches, Chiang Mai is ensuring its historic moat is ready for the annual water splashing fun, with significant upgrades to water quality and safety. The city has taken crucial steps to improve both the environment and the safety of residents and tourists who flock to the moat to celebrate Thailand’s most famous water festival. Since March…
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Whirlwind devastates Chanthaburi orchard, 50 tonnes of durian lost
A whirlwind storm recently devastated a fruit orchard in Chanthaburi‘s Mueang district, causing over 50 tonnes of durian, nearing harvest, to fall to the ground. The destruction resulted in a financial loss exceeding 8 million baht, with remaining sellable durians fetching only 10 baht per kilogramme. Yesterday, April 7, local journalists visited the fruit orchard in Mueang district, Chanthaburi province,…
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American professor denied bail on Section 112 charges
Paul Chambers, a prominent American academic from Naresuan University, has been denied bail by Phitsanulok Court following his arrest on charges under Section 112, the lese majeste law, sparking widespread outrage over academic freedom and human rights. Dr Chambers, an expert in Southeast Asian military-civilian relations, was apprehended after an arrest warrant was issued by the Phitsanulok Provincial Court. Today,…
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New four-lane highway to boost eastern Thailand connectivity
The Songkran holiday season might be chaotic with traffic jams, but a major four-lane highway upgrade in eastern Thailand promises to ease congestion in the future. Highways 3486 and 348 are set to undergo a significant transformation with the construction of a 48-kilometre, 4-lane highway, designed to improve traffic flow and protect local wildlife. The Department of Highways (DOH) has…
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Locals slam Phuket cops for freeing thug after savage attack on foreign woman
Phuket residents criticised the police for releasing a man just two days after his arrest for an unprovoked, vicious assault on an unnamed foreign woman. The Phuket Times shared a video of the assault on April 4. The incident occurred at around 1pm on Thep Kasattri Road in the Thalang area of Phuket. The video showed the foreign victim standing…
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Thailand and Japan unite for Songkran Warm Water Onsen event
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is collaborating with Japan to celebrate the Songkran Warm Water Onsen event, aiming to link the Songkran festival with international tourism promotion. This initiative is expected to boost foreign visits to Thailand. Thapanee Kiatpaiboon, Governor of TAT, announced that this month, TAT will actively promote Thailand’s Songkran festival. For example, from April 5 to…
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Quake leaves 55 Bangkok buildings unusable, inspections continue
The Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning announced the results of building inspections following a recent earthquake. Some 55 buildings have been deemed severely damaged and are prohibited from use. Meanwhile, 6,487 buildings remain operational, and 361 have moderate damage. Yesterday, April 7, the Building Damage Inspection Centre, in collaboration with various engineering bodies including the Council…
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Woman dies in Kathu crash after car crosses median
A tragic accident occurred in Kathu in the early hours of yesterday morning, resulting in the death of a woman after her car crossed a road median and crashed into an oncoming pickup truck. Police were notified of the accident at 1.46am, yesterday, April 7, with Police Lieutenant Colonel Somchai Nubun from Kathu Police Station responding alongside rescue personnel from…
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Big Joke sends 300 southerners home for Songkran
Former police chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn has made Songkran celebrations even sweeter for over 300 southerners by sending them back home with free flights and VIP bus rides, easing the financial burden during tough economic times. At Don Mueang International Airport, Big Joke, President of the Southern Association under Royal Patronage, personally waved off 320 people headed back to…
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Teen arrested for fatal stabbing at Ayutthaya traffic light
A 17 year old from Ayutthaya was arrested for fatally stabbing a 19 year old during an altercation at a traffic light. It was later revealed that the deceased was a relative. The incident occurred yesterday, April 7, at 1am, on Rojana Road in Ayutthaya. The suspect, referred to as A, was apprehended by Police Colonel Adirek Bothipan and his…
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Pattaya technician blasted off pole in fiery high-voltage horror
A Pattaya technician was left fighting for his life after being blasted by a high-voltage electric shock and falling from a utility pole in a fiery workplace disaster. The shocking incident occurred at 7.36pm yesterday, April 7, along Phra Tamnak Road near Soi 2 in Pattaya City. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit’s radio centre received an urgent distress call,…
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Family feud over inheritance sparks public dispute
A 48 year old woman reached out to the media to present her side of a family dispute after her stepson, appeared on a popular television show. The woman’s stepson, 24 year old Phuwat, known as Joe, accused his step mother, Phattharaporn, step-siblings and the police, of conspiring to frame him with drugs to seize inheritance assets worth over a…
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4 more bodies found in Bangkok building collapse takes toll to 20
Four more bodies have been discovered beneath the debris of the collapsed Zone C of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building in Chatuchak, Bangkok, taking the death toll to 20 with 77 reported missing. These bodies, found crushed by the structure yet intact, were uncovered at approximately 7.45am today, April 8, opposite the collapsed building site. Anuwat Pho-ampai, a…
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Motorways open free for Songkran travel from April 11 to April 17
During the upcoming Songkran festival, the Department of Highways (DoH) is preparing to facilitate travel by opening two motorway routes free of charge. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, stated that a significant number of people are expected to travel to their hometowns or on vacation during this period. To ensure smooth and safe travel from April…
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Bangkok quake collapse sparks probe into 2.1bn baht project
A 2.1-billion-baht government headquarters crumbled like a house of cards during Bangkok’s recent earthquake and now, investigators are chasing down the company behind it. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has launched a high-profile probe into the collapse of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building in Chatuchak, which gave way during the 4.1-magnitude quake on March 28. The incident…
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Stream fright: Chiang Mai tot gets unwelcome leech up her nose
A hospital in Chiang Mai issued a warning to the public to exercise caution when using water from natural sources after a three year old girl was found to have a leech in her nose because she washed her face in a stream. The case was shared by a doctor from Nakhonping Hospital in Mueang District, Chiang Mai, via the…
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Two boys drown in Loei River tragedy in Wang Saphung
A tragic incident unfolded in Wang Saphung district, Loei province when two 13 year old boys drowned in the Loei River. The distressing event occurred around 3.30pm, yesterday, April 7, near the Siri Songkhram Shrine in Wang Saphung municipality. Police Lieutenant Colonel Nattakamon Thaoklang from Wang Saphung Police Station received the report and coordinated with the municipality’s disaster prevention and…
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Thailand video news | Russians now hold 1 in 4 foreign work permits in Phuket, Vietnam warns of economic hit from sudden 46% US tariff
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay deliver key headlines from Thailand and Southeast Asia. In Phuket, Russians now hold one in four foreign work permits, signalling a shift from tourism to long-term residency. Meanwhile in Bangkok, a fraud scandal leads to a dramatic police station jump. Over in Ayutthaya, a bus crash injures more than 20 factory workers.…
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Bangkok news crew threatened at mall shooting scene
A Bangkok news crew found themselves at the centre of a chilling showdown when alleged bodyguards threatened and detained them while covering a fatal shooting at a mall in the Lat Phrao area. The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand and the Broadcasting Journalists Association of Thailand urged the national police commissioner general to launch an urgent investigation and pursue legal…
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New dad and pal busted in Pattaya drug sting
Two drug runners in Pattaya found themselves slammed, quite literally, by police during a sting operation that ended with a rear-end collision, a massive drug bust, and one new father behind bars. At 6pm yesterday, April 7, Bang Lamung police teamed up with local officials to take down two key players in a major drug network operating across Pattaya and…
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Phuket locals demand action after foreigners brawl on Bangla Road
Phuket locals yesterday demanded action from police officers after three foreign men engaged in a physical altercation on Bangla Road. A Thai man, Somnuck Chanagune, shared a video of the chaos on Bangla Road on his Facebook account, yesterday, April 7, with a caption that read, “Enjoy boxing in the early hours.” Three foreigners were seen engaging in an altercation,…
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