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.
-
Sponsored Thailand vs. the West: What expats save on healthcare each year
Healthcare in Thailand is much cheaper than in Western countries, making it a great choice for expatriates looking for affordable medical care. Both public and private healthcare options offer high-quality services, with savings of up to 80% on procedures like...
-
MGM Resorts urges Thailand to adopt competitive casino tax rate
MGM Resorts International suggests Thailand should adopt a casino tax rate competitive with Singapore and permit a significant number of locals to visit casino complexes to foster tourism and economic growth. The company is exploring a potential investment of US$3-5 billion in a casino facility in Bangkok. Ed Bowers, President of Global Development at MGM Resorts, stated that emerging markets…
-
Thai police intercept 100kg of crystal meth at border
The Border Patrol Police Unit 327 intercepted a drug trafficking operation based on intelligence reports, uncovering 100 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice) hidden in a modified vehicle crossing the border. Yesterday, May 20, at approximately 9am, Police Major Ananwat Rattanawichai, commander of Unit 327, along with Police Lieutenant Colonel Somchai Soisaeng, deputy commander, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Parin Worachokkunakorn, commander…
-
Police links cases: 2 Thai teenagers sexually assaulted in Pattaya
Two Thai teenagers filed a sexual assault complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at a similar time in the early hours of this morning. The perpetrator is suspected to be the same person. The first victim, 20 year old Dao, arrived at the police station with her colleague at 2.21am, today, May 21, to report the rape and theft. The…
-
Man found dead on hammock in Chai Nat province
A 49 year old man was found dead on a hammock yesterday at the Kiatisak Rice Seed Store in Chai Nat province. The police, along with a doctor from Chai Nat Hospital and Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteers, attended the scene. The deceased, Wasan, was discovered lying on his back with foam at his mouth and vomit on the ground beneath him.…
-
Lightning strike kills man seeking shelter in Buriram field
A lightning strike tragically claimed the life of a 34 year old man while he sought shelter from the rain in a field hut in the Khok Khao Phatthana village, Buriram province, on May 20. Police were alerted to the incident by locals and proceeded to the scene, accompanied by investigators and a rescue team. The hut, located approximately 2…
-
Monorail mania: Thailand’s Pink Line to operate free trial run
Bangkok commuters have a new reason to celebrate — the long-awaited Pink Line monorail extension to Muang Thong Thani officially opened yesterday, May 20, promising to ease traffic headaches and ramp up convenience for eventgoers. Even better? It’s completely free to ride until June 16. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which owns the project, along with operator…
-
Thai man fatally attacks ex-lover after alleged failed rape attempt
A Thai man reportedly lured his ex-lover to a reservoir in Phatthalung province, where he allegedly attempted to rape her and then fatally attacked her. Sutima, a 42 year old friend of the victim, found 52 year old Malee in critical condition on the ridge of Khao Hua Chang Reservoir on May 20. Malee suffered severe facial and head injuries,…
-
Ex-British air hostess claims she’s been ‘suitcased’ in drug bust
A former British air hostess claims she’s been stitched up in a £1.5 million (66.5 million baht) drug bust in Sri Lanka, insisting she had no clue 46 kilogrammes of cannabis was stuffed in her suitcase. Charlotte May Lee is facing years behind bars in a notorious Sri Lankan prison after being arrested in Colombo with a suitcase stuffed with…
-
Buriram man caught stealing motorcycle with pickup truck
A 36 year old man was apprehended by police in Buriram province for stealing a motorcycle using his four-door pickup truck. He admitted to the crime, stating that although his family is not poor, he found the unattended motorcycle with keys left in the ignition tempting. Yesterday, May 20, Police Colonel Adisak Chansorn, the superintendent of Nong Hong Police Station,…
-
Sink or spend? Thailand nears decision on submarine deal
Thailand’s long-delayed and controversy-laden submarine deal is finally approaching crunch time — and it’s sink or spend for the Defence Ministry. Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed that a final decision on the 13.5 billion baht submarine procurement project could be made by the end of this month or in early June. The high-stakes verdict follows consultations with the Royal Thai…
-
Man arrested for thefts worth 300,000 baht in Samut Prakan
A 45 year old man from Nakhon Pathom was detained by police for allegedly engaging in a string of thefts in Samut Prakan. The suspect, Sombat also known as Toh, is accused of breaking into rooms under the guise of feeding stray cats and stealing valuables worth over 300,000 baht. Police Colonel Yodrak Kittilappanarath, deputy superintendent of the Mueang Samut…
-
Thailand rolls out new payout rules for flight delays
Travellers in Thailand can now breathe a sigh of relief — airlines are officially on the hook if they mess up your travel plans. New regulations designed to protect airline passengers from the misery of flight delays and cancellations came into force yesterday, May 20. Under the sweeping changes introduced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), passengers now…
-
Vietnam: Has America learned nothing from its war of atrocities?
It’s been 50 years since the United States’ chaotic, ignominious final evacuation from Saigon. Images of helicopters atop the US embassy, frantic crowds, and the battered city in April 1975 have become frozen icons of American defeat. The Vietnam War stands as a testament to the hubris, brutality, and tragic folly of unchecked military intervention, a doctrine the US has…
-
Motorcycle gunfire attack on Honda Jazz shocks Chon Buri residents
A dramatic incident unfolded in Chon Buri’s Ban Bueng district as a motorcycle chased and fired shots at a Honda Jazz. Police were called to the scene along a route in the Nong Sam Sak area today, May 21, at 1.30am, after reports of gunfire. They discovered a white Honda Jazz bumper and a black mobile phone, along with 17…
-
SRT approves delayed Lat Krabang container depot overhaul
After years of frustrating delays, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is finally pushing forward with a 40 billion baht upgrade of Bangkok’s Inland Container Depot in Lat Krabang and the green light couldn’t come soon enough. The SRT board last Thursday, May 15, approved a long-awaited study into the project’s future, identifying a public-private partnership (PPP) under a net…
-
Croatian man arrested for illegally running travel agency in Chiang Mai
Police arrested a Croatian man for illegally operating a travel agency targeting foreign visitors in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai Provincial Police launched a crackdown on illegal activities affecting the province’s tourism industry. The operation aimed to build trust and restore the image of Thai tourism, with officials hoping to demonstrate that Thailand is a safe destination…
-
Van fire on Bangkok bridge disrupts traffic, no injuries
A fire engulfed a van on a bridge over the Ramintra intersection at kilometre 8, causing extensive damage to the vehicle. The incident, reported today, May 21, required intervention by fire and rescue teams. An electrical short circuit is suspected to have started the blaze. Police from Khan Na Yao station received a report of a vehicle fire on the…
-
17 Irrawaddy dolphins left in Songkhla Lake amid extinction crisis
In Songkhla Lake, the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population has dwindled to only 17, leading the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) to intensify efforts to preserve the species and rejuvenate the lake’s delicate ecosystem. Minister Chalermchai Sri-on visited the lake on Monday, May 19, highlighting the importance of balancing conservation with the development of the Songkhla Lake bridge…
-
Stark raving nude: Naked men run riot on Pattaya streets
Pattaya locals were left gobsmacked this week after not one, but two stark-naked men caused chaos on the streets, one reportedly defecating near schools, the other hurling furniture at cops in a midnight meltdown. Concerned residents in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, are calling for urgent action after a homeless man, believed to be around 50, was repeatedly spotted wandering…
-
Thai motorcyclist and Italian passenger seriously injured in Phuket crash
A dramatic day unfolded on the roads of Phuket yesterday, when a Thai motorcyclist and his Italian passenger made a swift getaway after smashing into a van. Their escape, however, was short-lived as they later collided with an SUV, leaving both with serious injuries. Officers from Patong Police Station responded to the accident near Phra Baramee Soi 5 on Phra…
-
Pattaya waitresses battered by foreigner in beach bar bust-up
Two Pattaya waitresses were left bloodied and bruised after a polite request to “keep it down” sparked a violent seaside scrap, with beer bottles flying and tourists looking on in horror. The two waitresses have gone public with shocking claims of a violent attack that broke out after they asked a rowdy group to lower their voices during a quiet…
-
UK teen faces possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling
A missing UK teen feared lost in Thailand has turned up 4,000 miles away—in handcuffs, facing a possible life sentence for allegedly smuggling cannabis into Georgia. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham, County Durham, was reported missing on Tuesday, May 13, after family members lost contact with her during what they believed was a solo trip through Thailand. She had previously…
-
Thai woman accuses monk and his family of physically assaulting her
A Thai woman is seeking justice after a monk and his family members allegedly manipulated her mother and physically assaulted her at their family home in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. The woman took to social media to share a video of the alleged assault by the monk and his elderly family members, which occurred on May 17. She…
-
Pattaya cracks down on cars blocking wheelchair paths
Pattaya officials are finally parking the problem for good. In a bold crackdown that’s earning applause across the city, municipal officers and traffic police have launched a campaign to fine drivers who illegally park on wheelchair-accessible pathways. The first sweep took place on Soi Paniadchang, located behind Big C Central Pattaya, where enforcement teams issued tickets and fines to motorists blocking designated…
-
Vietjet transfers 50 Boeing planes to Thai arm in regional shake-up
Vietjet and Boeing have inked a landmark agreement to transfer up to 50 Boeing 737 aircraft to Vietjet Thailand, boosting Thailand’s presence on the regional air travel map. The signing took place with plenty of diplomatic fanfare, witnessed by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was in Hanoi for her first official visit to Vietnam in over a decade. “This agreement…
-
Missing durian vendor believed safe after CCTV footage emerges
Police assure that a female durian seller, who went missing in the southern province of Surat Thani, is safe, despite her family’s growing concern. The family of 43 year old missing durian vendor Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, filed a complaint with Mueang Surat Thani Police Station after she failed to return home at her usual time on May…
-
Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN
In a surprising twist that’s turning heads across Southeast Asia, Pattaya, long known for its wild nightlife, has been named one of the Top 10 Safest Cities in ASEAN for 2025. The ranking, released by Numbeo, a global database that tracks cost of living and quality of life, placed Pattaya at 9th with a Safety Index score of 53.9. The…
-
Murder mystery: Man’s body in barrel at Nakhon Sawan reservoir
A series of investigative meetings were convened by Police Major General Narewitch Sukonthawit, commander of Nakhon Sawan provincial police, to address the case of a man’s body found in a submerged barrel at the Takro Reservoir, Nakhon Sawan, yesterday, May 19. The deceased, an approximately 50 year old Thai man, had a gunshot wound to the chest and was wearing…
-
Buriram bank employee accused of embezzling 700,000 baht from restaurant owner
A 32 year old restaurant owner filed a complaint against a bank employee in Buriram for allegedly embezzling nearly 700,000 baht. The victim, Patchara, claims she was deceived into taking out a loan under the pretence of helping the employee meet commission targets. The incident was reported to lawyer Weerayut Sirirueangprapa in Krasang district, Buriram province. Patchara revealed that the…
-
Phuket Covid surge: Island ranks 3rd in Thailand
Phuket’s picture-perfect beaches may be drawing tourists in droves but the island is quietly battling a Covid-19 surge that places it among the top three provinces for infection rates in Thailand this year, though remarkably, not a single death has been reported. According to the Department of Disease Control, from January 1 to May 10, 2025, Phuket recorded 1,287 cumulative…
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.