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.

  • Thailand gears up for busy winter with 250 plus airline services | Thaiger

    Thailand gears up for busy winter with 250 plus airline services

    Thailand will welcome over 250 airlines this winter season, as aviation officials allocate flight slots and charter flights surge to boost tourism. Thailand is preparing for a surge in international arrivals this High Season, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) confirming that 255 airlines have been allocated flight slots for the winter 2025 schedule. The season, running from…

  • Kuwaiti man arrested in Phuket for crystal meth possession and overstay | Thaiger

    Kuwaiti man arrested in Phuket for crystal meth possession and overstay

    Police arrested a Kuwaiti man for possession of crystal meth and overstaying his visa in Patong, Phuket, on Monday, October 20. Officers from Patong Police Station reported the arrest of the 36 year old Kuwaiti national, whose name has not been disclosed, via the Phuket Info Centre Facebook page yesterday, October 21. The arrest took place a day earlier at…

  • Phuket Vegetarian Festival processions light up the streets | Thaiger

    Phuket Vegetarian Festival processions light up the streets

    Devotees from local shrines took part in vibrant street processions across Phuket as part of a major annual festival aimed at promoting spiritual cleansing. Phuket erupted in colour, firecrackers and ritual yesterday, October 21, as the island launched the second day of its annual Vegetarian Festival with sacred street processions, despite rain. Devotees from 39 Chinese shrines are participating in…

  • Deputy PM says no foreigners encroach Koh Pha Ngan forest | Thaiger

    Deputy PM says no foreigners encroach Koh Pha Ngan forest

    The deputy prime minister (PM) of Thailand confirmed that no foreigners encroached on forest land on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Some locals on Koh Pha Ngan voiced concerns that the island was taken over by foreigners, particularly Israeli nationals. They claimed that Israelis used Thai nominees to buy seaside land, encroached on…

  • Skeletal Thai man rescued after alleged kratom addiction | Thaiger

    Skeletal Thai man rescued after alleged kratom addiction

    A Thai volunteer rescuer issued a warning after being called to assist a man who became severely emaciated, allegedly due to his kratom addiction. The rescuer, Jirasak Prayonghom, shared a photograph of the man he had helped on his Facebook account yesterday, October 21. In part of his caption, Jirasak wrote… “#Warning This 23 year old man was weak and skeletal,…

  • Soi Buakhao traffic revamp sees fresh signs and markings | Thaiger

    Soi Buakhao traffic revamp sees fresh signs and markings

    Pattaya City has launched a traffic upgrade project on Soi Buakhao to improve safety and traffic flow, with over 40% of the work now complete. Yesterday, October 21, Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet assigned Anuwat Thongkham, Director of the Sanitation Engineering Bureau, to lead a progress review meeting at Pattaya City Hall. The session included department heads, city officials, and representatives…

  • Poolside tragedy: Worker electrocuted at Phuket hotel | Thaiger

    Poolside tragedy: Worker electrocuted at Phuket hotel

    A construction worker was fatally electrocuted while using a jackhammer near a hotel pool in Karon, Phuket, prompting an ongoing police investigation. The 46 year old victim, identified as Kwanchai Phonsari from Udon Thani province, was working on concrete removal around the pool area when the fatal incident occurred at approximately 10.45am on Sunday, October 19. Witnesses told police they…

  • Gold factory sues 3 employees and 2 retailers for 400 million baht theft | Thaiger

    Gold factory sues 3 employees and 2 retailers for 400 million baht theft

    A gold factory sued three employees and two retailers for stealing gold worth over 400 million baht between December last year and June this year. The factory’s representative, 41 year old Thittimon Watwanvorakul, spoke to the media yesterday, October 21, about the case. She revealed that the factory discovered more than 103 kilogrammes of stolen gold jewellery, valued at around…

  • Thailand scraps poker permits in major anti-gambling push | Thaiger

    Thailand scraps poker permits in major anti-gambling push

    The Ministry of Interior has issued a sweeping order banning all poker and card games across Thailand, in line with the government’s strict anti-gambling policy. Signed by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the order No. 3179/2568 was made public today, October 22, and takes immediate effect. It fully revokes a previous order from July and suspends all existing…

  • Bolt rider and passenger killed in motorcycle crash after phone distraction | Thaiger

    Bolt rider and passenger killed in motorcycle crash after phone distraction

    A Thai Bolt rider crashed into an electricity pole on a road in Bang Na, Bangkok, yesterday, October 21, after focusing on a map on his mobile phone, leading to the deaths of himself and his passenger. Officers from Bang Na Police Station received a report of a fatal motorcycle accident near the entrance of Soi Bang Na-Trat 16 on…

  • UHC CEO killer claims attack by Thai ladyboys before shooting | Thaiger

    UHC CEO killer claims attack by Thai ladyboys before shooting

    A man accused of killing a top US healthcare executive had earlier claimed he was assaulted by transgender women while travelling in Thailand, reports reveal. According to The New York Times, 27 year old Luigi Mangione sent WhatsApp messages to friends while backpacking across Asia, describing his raucous escapades. In one message, he claimed he had been “beaten up by…

  • Man killed by exploding e-cigarette in shocking first for Thailand | Thaiger

    Man killed by exploding e-cigarette in shocking first for Thailand

    A man in Thailand died in Northeast Thailand after his e-cigarette exploded while he was fishing, marking the country’s first confirmed fatality linked to a vape device. The 47 year old man was found lifeless near a spillway in Ban Kut Chim, Mueang district, Nong Bua Lamphu province on October 18, after going fishing. At first, police suspected foul play.…

  • Thailand video news | Thailand’s three-airport high-speed rail project hits a major contract impasse, Weak tourist inflows cloud Thai baht’s end-of-year rally | Thaiger

    Thailand video news | Thailand’s three-airport high-speed rail project hits a major contract impasse, Weak tourist inflows cloud Thai baht’s end-of-year rally

    In Thailand Video News Today, Alex and Jay bring you stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Today’s lineup includes a Thai doctor’s warning about excessive online content, a stalled mega rail project, and some quirky museums worth visiting. Excessive pornography consumption may impair sexual health, warns Thai specialist A Thai forensic medicine specialist warns that heavy pornography use can…

  • Thai House passes Clean Air Bill in sweeping 308–0 vote | Thaiger

    Thai House passes Clean Air Bill in sweeping 308–0 vote

    Thailand’s House of Representatives has unanimously passed a new Clean Air Bill, aiming to crack down on pollution and protect public health nationwide. All 308 MPs present, from both coalition and opposition parties, voted in favour after three days of heated debate. The bill, which passed its third reading yesterday, October 21, will now move to the Senate for further…

  • German man injured by faulty manhole cover in Pattaya | Thaiger

    German man injured by faulty manhole cover in Pattaya

    A German man sustained a leg injury after stepping on a faulty manhole cover in Pattaya earlier yesterday, October 21. Rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation in Pattaya were alerted to the accident, which occurred near Soi Pattaya 14 in Central Pattaya at around 4.30am. The injured man was later identified as a German national, 28 year old Christoph. According…

  • Thai Airways boosts board, plots fresh flight to recovery | Thaiger

    Thai Airways boosts board, plots fresh flight to recovery

    Thai Airways is expanding its board and fleet as part of a major governance overhaul aimed at boosting transparency and competitiveness post-rehabilitation. The airline’s chairman, Lavaron Sangsnit, confirmed the move as part of sweeping changes ahead of a key Annual General Meeting (AGM) in December. The expanded board will include a long-awaited risk management committee, aimed at strengthening oversight of…

  • 3 Japanese tourists fined for lifting skirt of Pattaya hairdresser | Thaiger

    3 Japanese tourists fined for lifting skirt of Pattaya hairdresser

    Three Japanese men face a fine for sexually harassing a Thai hairdresser in Pattaya on Saturday, October 19, by lifting her skirt. The Thai online community called for harsher penalties to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The owner of K.K Hairstyles @ Pattaya Barbers & Salon in Pattaya, 33 year old Kanokkarn, shared CCTV footage of the…

  • Chilly weather: Thailand braces for deluge, winter season nears | Thaiger

    Chilly weather: Thailand braces for deluge, winter season nears

    Thailand is on high alert as a severe tropical storm brews offshore, while a high-pressure system from China brings cooler air and strong winds to the upper regions. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) reports that a moderate high-pressure system is affecting northern and northeastern Thailand. Morning temperatures are cooler, with strong winds and a slight temperature drop expected. The weather…

  • Thai construction giant denies links to call centre scam after MPs’ claims | Thaiger

    Thai construction giant denies links to call centre scam after MPs’ claims

    One of Thailand’s leading construction companies, Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction Public Company Limited (STECON), filed a complaint against two Members of Parliament (MPs) from the People’s Party, claiming both accused the company of involvement in a call centre scam network. The United States and United Kingdom recently accused the Prince Holding Group, owned by 32 year old Chinese-born Chen Zhi,…

  • Lumpini Park gets royal revamp ahead of 100th birthday bash | Thaiger

    Lumpini Park gets royal revamp ahead of 100th birthday bash

    Bangkok officials are fast-tracking renovations at Lumpini Park ahead of its centennial celebrations and a royal commemoration scheduled to take place soon. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is accelerating renovation efforts at Lumpini Park ahead of its centenary celebrations, which will coincide with the 100th anniversary of King Vajiravudh (King Rama VI), the park’s founder. The festivities, set to run…

  • Foreign man caught on CCTV stealing liquor from Phuket restaurant | Thaiger

    Foreign man caught on CCTV stealing liquor from Phuket restaurant

    A CCTV camera captured a foreign man stealing a bottle of liquor from a restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket on Sunday, October 19. Footage of the theft was shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page today, October 21. In the video, the foreign suspect is seen wearing black shorts and a red shirt covered with a black jacket.…

  • Former shooting athlete kills wife and daughter before turning gun on himself | Thaiger

    Former shooting athlete kills wife and daughter before turning gun on himself

    A former shooting athlete killed his wife and their daughter at a house in Bangkok today, October 21, before taking his own life. A mental issue after the death of his father was suspected to be the motive for the murder-suicide. Bangkok Noi Police Station officers were alerted to three deaths at 9.10am today and visited the incident scene, a…

  • Hackers hijack Phuket ride-hailing apps in taxi scam chaos | Thaiger

    Hackers hijack Phuket ride-hailing apps in taxi scam chaos

    Phuket officials vowed to crack down after hackers scammed ride-hailing drivers by hijacking app accounts and demanding ransom for registration unlocks. Phuket Governor Saransak Srikruanetra has vowed a sweeping crackdown after dozens of ride-hailing drivers reported falling victim to a sophisticated hacking scam. The revelation came during a crisis meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall, where Governor Saransak and local MP…

  • MV actress and friend killed in Udon Thani motorbike crash | Thaiger

    MV actress and friend killed in Udon Thani motorbike crash

    A young music video actress and her friend were killed when their motorbike crashed into a pole in Udon Thani, leaving one man seriously injured. The fatal accident occurred at around 5.20am yesterday, October 20, in Soi Kamnan, Mueang Udon Thani district. Emergency responders from the Udon Sawang Methadharm Foundation were alerted to a motorcycle crash involving a collision with…

  • Amazon Web Services outage cripples major platforms worldwide | Thaiger

    Amazon Web Services outage cripples major platforms worldwide

    Websites, apps, and essential services across the United States and beyond were thrown into chaos yesterday after a major outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing giant that powers much of the Internet. The disruption, which began around 3.11am ET (2.11pm Thailand time) yesterday, October 20, stemmed from a failure in AWS’s internal network load balancer system. The…

  • Police pickup crashes into 6 year old boy during high-speed chase | Thaiger

    Police pickup crashes into 6 year old boy during high-speed chase

    A police officer in Nakhon Phanom province crashed a patrol pickup into a six year old Thai boy during a high-speed chase with drug suspects on Sunday, October 19. The young boy was rushed to Nakhon Phanom Hospital at around 3pm after the crash on a community road in Tha Kho sub-district. He suffered a fractured right collarbone and facial…

  • Too much porn can wreck your sex life, warns Thai doctor (video) | Thaiger

    Too much porn can wreck your sex life, warns Thai doctor (video)

    A prominent Thai forensic medicine expert has sounded the alarm over the dangers of excessive porn consumption, warning that it may lead to erectile dysfunction and serious relationship issues, especially among younger men. Associate Professor Dr Weerasak Charuschaisri, a medical lecturer at Srinakharinwirot University, took to Facebook to share a video clip titled Watching too much pornography can lead to…

  • Fire breaks out at Phuket condo site, no injuries reported | Thaiger

    Fire breaks out at Phuket condo site, no injuries reported

    A fire broke out at a Phuket condo construction site at night, prompting a swift response from firefighters who contained the blaze before it spread. The fire erupted around 9.30pm on Sunday, October 19, at The Origin Kathu-Patong project on Phra Phuket Kaew Road, approximately 3 kilometres from the eastern base of Patong Hill. The building, currently unoccupied, is part…

  • Thailand announces second phase of co-payment scheme | Thaiger

    Thailand announces second phase of co-payment scheme

    The Thai government prepares to launch the second phase of its popular co-payment consumer subsidy scheme in January in a bid to jumpstart domestic spending and bolster economic growth. The announcement was made yesterday, October 20, by government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat who confirmed that the upcoming phase will be financed from the 2026 fiscal budget. However, the total budget allocation…

  • Thai immigration: Belarusian model not abducted in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Thai immigration: Belarusian model not abducted in Bangkok

    Thai immigration released the last photo of a Belarusian model who was later murdered in Myanmar, denying claims she was abducted while in Thailand. The final CCTV image of Belarusian model Vera Kravtsova before she left Thailand was released by the Immigration Bureau, following reports of her murder in Myanmar and claims she had been abducted from Thai soil. The…