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.
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Sponsored Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Australian robbed of 7,000 baht by duo in Pattaya hotel
In Pattaya, Thailand, a 47 year old Australian national, Vetrov, reported a theft to Police Lieutenant Colonel Saijai Khamjulla, an investigator at Pattaya City Police Station, yesterday, August 9, around 4am. Vetrov stated that the incident occurred after he met a woman while walking along Pattaya Beach at approximately 3am. Vetrov mentioned that he invited the woman, who claimed to…
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Chinese woman rescued from Pattaya hotel balcony in dramatic operation
In Pattaya, Thailand, a dramatic rescue operation took place yesterday, August 9, at 1pm, as emergency services worked diligently for over 90 minutes to safely rescue a 28 year old Chinese woman from a 16th-floor balcony at a luxury beachfront hotel. The woman, described as having a tomboyish appearance and struggling with depression, was rescued by responders after a delicate…
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Thai police arrest 58 foreign workers in illegal employment raid
In Chon Buri province, Thai police conducted a significant raid on an industrial estate, resulting in the arrest of 58 foreign workers for illegal employment. The operation, conducted yesterday, August 9, was part of a larger initiative directed by the National Police Chief to address illegal labour practices. Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am, Commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, oversaw…
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Thailand permits agricultural drones under strict regulations
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has announced that agricultural drone operations will be permitted tomorrow, August 11 under stringent conditions, with a continued nationwide ban on other drones until August 15 or further notice. Both the drone and its operator need registration with the CAAT, along with obtaining agricultural flight authorisation. Operators must possess a clean record, operating…
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Loan shark operation busted in Pattaya, 26 Chinese nationals arrested
A loan sharking operation run by Chinese nationals was dismantled in a raid at a luxury pool villa near Pattaya, resulting in the arrest of 26 people. Chon Buri provincial police confirmed the arrests in Bang Lamung district on Saturday, following a tip-off. ดูโพสต์นี้บน Instagram โพสต์ที่แชร์โดย The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) Police conducted the raid on August 8 at a…
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Thailand braces for heavy rainfall and potential flash floods
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather warning for August 10, predicting increased rainfall across Thailand, with heavy rains expected in the northeast, east, and the west coast of the south. This weather change is attributed to a low-pressure system over northern Laos and Vietnam, coupled with a stronger southwesterly monsoon affecting the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the…
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Chained body found at Phang Nga pier sparks murder probe
A grisly murder investigation is underway in Phang Nga after the body of a woman was found chained to two concrete dumbbells near a community pier. The chilling discovery was made yesterday, August 8, near the Ban Tha Yai pier in Mueang district. Police Lieutenant Pheerawit Chaichanyut of Khok Kloi Police Station, leading the case, said officers responded with Kusoltham…
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Bangkok police smash Chinese hacker credit card gang
A Chinese cybercrime kingpin living in Bangkok has been busted after masterminding a multimillion-baht stolen credit card network spanning Asia. Thai police have dismantled a sophisticated Chinese hacker ring accused of stealing thousands of international credit card details, laundering the profits through cryptocurrency, and splurging on luxury goods worth over 10 million baht. Yesterday, August 8, Police Lieutenant General Panumart…
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Yom River floods force urgent evacuations in Phichit
A sudden surge of water from the Yom River, flowing down from Sukhothai and Phitsanulok in northern Thailand, has caused flooding in Phichit, prompting urgent evacuations in low-lying areas. The river’s unexpected early rise has caught residents off guard, forcing many to quickly move valuables and livestock to higher ground. Yesterday, August 8, the Yom River’s overflow was first reported…
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Thai evacuees set to return as tensions with Cambodia ease
Thai officials are preparing to assist thousands of evacuees in returning home as tensions along the Cambodian border subside. Surin Governor Chamnan Chuentha confirmed that stability has returned to most border areas following Thursday’s General Border Committee meetings in Kuala Lumpur, where Thailand and Cambodia agreed on a 13-point ceasefire. Transportation arrangements are being coordinated with shelters and the Department…
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Bangkok-bound train derails in Prachuap Khiri Khan, 10 injured
Chaos erupted in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, early this morning when three sleeper carriages of a Bangkok-bound express train detached and derailed, leaving 10 people injured. The incident happened at around 5am today, August 9, when the special express train No. 38/46 from Su-ngai Kolok and Padang Besar to Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue) was approaching a curved section…
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Thai court weighs foreign pilot hiring dispute
Thai airlines are not currently hiring foreign pilots for domestic routes, but that could change next year depending on a key court ruling. In March, the Thai Pilots Association filed legal action against the Ministry of Labour, seeking a temporary injunction to halt the use of foreign pilots on domestic services. The case stems from last year’s high tourism season,…
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7 Chinese barbers arrested in Bangkok salon raid
An upscale Ratchada barbershop in Bangkok became the scene of a dramatic Tourist Police raid, ending with seven Chinese men cuffed for cutting hair illegally. Tourist Police stormed a high-end salon on Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Road, arresting the suspects for working without the necessary permits in a profession reserved for Thai citizens. The operation formed part of a nationwide crackdown led…
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Thailand–Hong Kong flight ‘rat pack’ busted in mid-air bag theft
A Hong Kong passenger caught a suspected in-flight thief red-handed on a Thailand–Hong Kong flight, exposing “rat pack” gangs targeting travellers’ bags. What was meant to be a much-needed rest for one Hong Kong tattoo artist turned into a mid-air sting operation when he spotted a man rifling through his bag just 30 minutes after take-off from Thailand. The passenger,…
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Bang Lamung chief warns village bosses to clean up act
Local leaders in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district have been given a blunt warning—follow the rules, protect your reputation, and keep your guns in check. Village headmen and subdistrict chiefs in Bang Lamung were told in no uncertain terms to toe the line during a monthly meeting at the district office’s community hall. The meeting yesterday, August 8, was presided…
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Phuket prepares to host global green tourism summit
Phuket’s power players jetted to Fiji for a high-profile eco-tourism summit, returning with ideas, allies, and a mission to make next year’s event the island’s greenest showpiece yet. A high-level Phuket delegation has returned from Fiji after taking part in the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC) 2025—a key step in preparing the island to host the world-class event next year.…
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Phuket cops seize sunglasses stash from illegal Cambodian vendor
Phuket Immigration officers have launched a high-profile crackdown on illegal beach vendors following complaints from residents and business owners that Cambodian migrant workers were openly selling goods without permission. Locals claimed the activity was damaging the island’s tourism image and undercutting Thai vendors who operate legally. Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police Colonel Kriangkrai Ariyaying ordered Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel…
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Thailand deluge: Bangkok braced for mega storm chaos
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather forecast predicting thunderstorms across 45 provinces, focusing on two regions, with Bangkok expected to experience the heaviest rainfall. Residents are urged to exercise caution due to potential dangers from thunderstorms yesterday, August 8. The forecast, for 6pm yesterday to 6pm today, August 9, indicates that the southwest monsoon is currently affecting…
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Phuket jet ski blitz nets 38 illegal rides in safety push
Phuket’s rogue jet ski operators have been hit with a major crackdown, as police swooped on six locations and seized 38 illegally operated machines. The coordinated operation, led by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Phuket Marine Police, was launched to boost tourist safety and safeguard the island’s image. Officials said many operators were running jet ski services without…
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Car wreckage with human skeleton found in Phitsanulok ravine
A rescue team on Wednesday, August 6, unexpectedly discovered the wreckage of a car containing a human skeleton in a ravine in the northern province of Phitsanulok while rescuing a truck driver who had crashed his vehicle at the same spot. The truck driver crashed his vehicle, which was carrying eucalyptus logs, into the ravine in the Chat Trakan district…
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WhatsApp wipes out 6.8 million scam accounts in global crackdown
WhatsApp has obliterated 6.8 million scam accounts in just six months, in what parent company Meta calls a major strike against global fraud networks. The social media giant says many of the accounts were tied to organised crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, notorious for running scam centres staffed by people forced into the work. Victims of these centres have been…
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Patong fruit row turns bloody as vendor stabs tourist
A late-night fruit snack in Patong turned into a bloody street fight when a payment dispute ended with a tourist being stabbed in the stomach. Patong Police were called to the scene at 2.20am today, August 8, outside Patong Medical Clinic on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road. Police Lieutenant Colonel Somprasong Labaisat, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) of Patong Police Station, led the…
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Bangkok ex-boxer sets Malaysian tourists on fire in mall horror
Shoppers in central Bangkok were left horrified after a former Thai boxer allegedly doused two Malaysian tourists in flammable liquid and set them on fire outside a popular mall. Good Samaritans leapt into action to tackle the attacker before police arrived. The attack took place at around 10pm yesterday, August 7, on Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, in front of a well-known…
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Thai woman suffers 54 stitches after brutal assault by ex-husband
A Thai woman is seeking justice after her ex-husband assaulted her at her home in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok, leaving her with multiple severe injuries which required 54 stitches. The 32 year old victim, Noi, took her case to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women because she feared delays in the police investigation and was concerned for her safety.…
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Electrocuted monkey falls onto car, shattering rear window
A monkey yesterday, August 7, fell from an electricity pole onto a sedan parked outside a condominium in Samut Prakan province, shattering the vehicle’s rear window after being electrocuted. Initially, security guards at the condominium, located in the Bang Pu neighbourhood, contacted the Bang Pu Sub-district Municipality Office for assistance in catching the long-tailed macaque, fearing it might cause further…
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Cathay Pacific’s LA to Hong Kong trip turns into 29-hour nightmare (video)
What was supposed to be a routine 13-hour hop across the Pacific turned into a 29-hour ordeal for almost 300 Cathay Pacific passengers, leaving some calling it the world’s longest commercial flight in terms of sheer misery. Flight CX883 left Los Angeles at 12.55am (local time) on Monday, August 4, bound for Hong Kong. But as the 15 year old…
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Toilet drug kitchen busted in Bangkok cannabis snack raid
Bangkok police have uncovered a cannabis snack production house where toilets were used as mixing stations, seizing nearly a million baht’s worth of illegal products—just days after a toddler was hospitalised from eating one of the jellies. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) launched the raid following social media reports that a two year old child had eaten a jelly,…
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Thai monks busted at Phuket temple for meth use
A Phuket temple has been rocked by scandal after three monks and two workers were caught using methamphetamine (meth) during a surprise drug raid. Cherng Talay Police, acting on a formal complaint, swooped on Wat Cherng Talay in Thalang at 2pm yesterday, August 7, in a joint operation with the Phuket Provincial Office of Buddhism, Thalang district officials, public health…
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Chinese man surrenders after armed standoff in Pattaya store
A dramatic two-hour standoff unfolded in Pattaya in the early hours of today when an armed Chinese man holed up inside a convenience store, before surrendering to police. Pattaya City Police received the report at 12.16am today, August 8, alerting them to a man with a gun inside a shop near the entrance to Soi Thepprasit 8. Deputy Superintendent of…
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Motorcycle rider killed on Phuket’s deadly Coconut Grove curve
A Phuket motorcyclist has died after a high-speed crash at a notorious curve on Thepkasattri Road in Mai Khao, sparking renewed concerns over road safety in the area. The accident occurred yesterday evening, August 7, near the Coconut Grove Curve—a stretch long feared by local riders. Police say the 41 year old victim, later identified as Mai Khao resident Samreong…
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