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.

  • Sponsored

    9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand

    Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...

  • Smile high club! Thailand ranked world’s No.3 for fun and frolics | Thaiger

    Smile high club! Thailand ranked world’s No.3 for fun and frolics

    Thailand’s not just the Land of Smiles, it’s now officially one of the most fun places on the planet, with Gen Z leading the charge from temples to techno. Thailand has landed a top-three spot in the global fun league, coming in third in the US News & World Report’s 2024 rankings, and it’s not just about full moon parties…

  • Paetongtarn faces sedition heat over leaked call scandal | Thaiger

    Paetongtarn faces sedition heat over leaked call scandal

    An explosive investigation into suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been escalated to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), following allegations of sedition linked to a leaked phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. According to a source within the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), a team led by CIB Deputy Commissioner Police Major General Suwat Saennoom has completed its investigation…

  • Thai teacher suspended for striking 8 year old boy with broomstick | Thaiger

    Thai teacher suspended for striking 8 year old boy with broomstick

    A Thai teacher in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat struck an eight year old schoolboy with a broomstick after he accidentally dropped a bead on the classroom floor. The boy’s parents shared CCTV footage of the violent punishment with news agencies, claiming the school ignored the incident. They said the assault occurred on July 18, shortly before the…

  • Senate backs amnesty for impulsive youth in political offences | Thaiger

    Senate backs amnesty for impulsive youth in political offences

    A Senate committee expressed support for an amnesty aimed at young people who may have committed political offences due to recklessness or impulsivity. The Senate Committee on Political Development, Public Participation, Human Rights, Liberties, and Consumer Protection convened on Tuesday, July 22, to assess four amnesty bills, three of which are also being reviewed by a House committee. On July…

  • Nok Air rebounds with freebies and fresh routes | Thaiger

    Nok Air rebounds with freebies and fresh routes

    Budget airline Nok Air is soaring back into profitability and promises even bigger things on the horizon—including free flights for foreign tourists. The embattled carrier, once drowning in debt, now expects to complete its rehabilitation programme by mid-2028, with outstanding debt trimmed to under 400 million baht from a staggering 5.4 billion. The airline’s resurgence comes after two consecutive profitable…

  • Thai woman and pet dog die in Bangkok house fire | Thaiger

    Thai woman and pet dog die in Bangkok house fire

    A 72 year old Thai woman and her pet dog died in a fire at her Bangkok home, which is believed to have been caused by a mosquito coil. Officers from Bang Khun Non Police Station were called to investigate the fire at a house in Soi Charan Sanitwong 31, in the Bangkok Noi district, at around 6am yesterday, July 23.…

  • Thailand Video News | Thailand downgrades ties with Cambodia after border landmine blast, British embassy warns Pattaya expats of rising risks | Thaiger

    Thailand Video News | Thailand downgrades ties with Cambodia after border landmine blast, British embassy warns Pattaya expats of rising risks

    Today we’ll be talking about the British embassy warning their citizens of the risks involved traveling to China, Thailand downgrading diplomatic ties with Cambodia following a recent landmine blast at the border, and a little later two farangs caught on a robbery spree in Krabi. British Embassy Warns Pattaya Expats of Rising Risks The British Embassy has issued a strong…

  • Phuket police crackdown: 18 teens arrested, 14 bikes seized in raid | Thaiger

    Phuket police crackdown: 18 teens arrested, 14 bikes seized in raid

    In the early hours of this morning, police in Phuket apprehended 18 underage people and confiscated 14 modified motorbikes during a crackdown on street racing and activities causing public disturbances in the Laem Dinso area of Wichit. The operation was carried out under the leadership of Wichit Police Station, directed by Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, beginning at 1.30am, today, July…

  • Buffalo bust as Yaba duo in Chon Buri caught in the act | Thaiger

    Buffalo bust as Yaba duo in Chon Buri caught in the act

    A drug crackdown in rural Chon Buri left two suspected dealers out of luck, one of them nabbed hiding in a buffalo shed with a pocketful of Yaba. Police in Koh Chan district, Chon Buri, swooped on two alleged drug traffickers in a targeted operation yesterday, July 23, part of the Ministry of Interior’s hardline No Drugs – No Dealers…

  • Thai troops defend against Cambodian gunfire near Ta Muean Thom | Thaiger

    Thai troops defend against Cambodian gunfire near Ta Muean Thom

    Cambodian soldiers initiated gunfire near the eastern side of the Thai base Moo Pa, approximately 200 metres from Ta Muean Thom Temple, prompting a defensive response from Thai troops. The clash took place today, July 24, following an order by Lieutenant General Boonsin Phadklang, commander of the Second Army Region, to close border crossings and local tourist attractions to safeguard…

  • Thai community leader fatally shoots wife and 4 others after divorce dispute | Thaiger

    Thai community leader fatally shoots wife and 4 others after divorce dispute

    A community leader in the northeastern province of Bueng Kan fatally shot his wife and four others after she sought a divorce from him. The tragic incident took place at approximately 7.22pm on Tuesday, July 22, in the Ban Tham Chan community, So Phisai district. The suspect, a 45 year old community leader named Pratuan Tonkanlaya, killed his wife, her…

  • Thailand’s ageing F-16s, what’s the next move? | Thaiger

    Thailand’s ageing F-16s, what’s the next move?

    Thailand’s Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is facing an important challenge: how to replace its ageing fleet of F-16 fighter jets while keeping pace with regional security demands and budget realities. For decades, the F-16 has been the backbone of Thailand’s air defence. But with many of these jets approaching their retirement age, the RTAF has now shifted gears, looking…

  • Thailand plays its cards right with poker punt | Thaiger

    Thailand plays its cards right with poker punt

    Thailand has gambled on a bold new strategy, officially recognising poker as a sport in a move that’s sent shockwaves through the international sporting and gaming communities. Furthermore, American football was also handed official sport status. The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) made a game-changing call this week, confirming that poker is now an officially recognised sport, a decision expected…

  • Illegal kratom juice factory dismantled in Nakhon Ratchasima | Thaiger

    Illegal kratom juice factory dismantled in Nakhon Ratchasima

    Police in Nakhon Ratchasima province have dismantled an illegal kratom juice factory that was mixing the juice with illicit cough syrup, posing a risk of acute kidney failure. A 39 year old man, Trakarn Chuankratok, who rented the premises, admitted to hiring workers to produce the concoction for the past two weeks. Yesterday, July 23, at Chokchai Police Station, Police…

  • Another Thai soldier loses leg in fresh landmine blast on Thai-Cambodian border | Thaiger

    Another Thai soldier loses leg in fresh landmine blast on Thai-Cambodian border

      Loading… The incident occurred at approximately 4.55pm yesterday, July 23, while soldiers from the 14th Infantry Battalion were patrolling an area along the border known as Chong Anma, located in Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani. One of the soldiers, later identified as Sergeant Major First Class Pichitchai Boonchula, stepped on the landmine and suffered severe injuries. The blast…

  • Punch-up with Pattaya ladyboy leaves foreigner with bloody head | Thaiger

    Punch-up with Pattaya ladyboy leaves foreigner with bloody head

    A wild brawl in the heart of Pattaya left a foreign tourist with a bloody head wound after a drunken dispute with a ladyboy and some motorbike taxi drivers. The dramatic altercation was captured on video and is now under police scrutiny. The violent brawl broke out on Pattaya’s infamous Soi Buakhao at 4.06am yesterday, July 23, leaving the unnamed…

  • Phuket heartbreak as young Aussie tourist found dead in hotel | Thaiger

    Phuket heartbreak as young Aussie tourist found dead in hotel

    A 21 year old Australian man has been found dead in a Phuket hotel room, just five days after an accused rapist from Down Under was also discovered lifeless on the same Thai island. Police in Thalang, northern Phuket, are investigating the sudden death of a young Aussie traveller who was found dead in his hotel room yesterday, July 23,…

  • 3 dead, 23 injured in Kanchanaburi truck-pickup collision | Thaiger

    3 dead, 23 injured in Kanchanaburi truck-pickup collision

    A tragic accident in Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district resulted in three fatalities and injuries to 23 others when a 10-wheel truck collided with five pickup trucks on a wet road. The incident occurred yesterday along Highway 323, near Nong Lu subdistrict. The crash happened on a steep section of the Thong Pha Phum-Sangkhla Buri route, about 8 kilometres from Sangkhla…

  • Thailand braces for severe weather as storm Whipa hits 19 provinces | Thaiger

    Thailand braces for severe weather as storm Whipa hits 19 provinces

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued its 17th warning regarding tropical storm Whipa, which continues to bring heavy rainfall across four regions in Thailand, affecting 19 provinces. Residents have been advised to be vigilant against potential floods, flash floods, and forest runoffs as sea waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are expected to reach heights of…

  • Koh Pha Ngan drone thieves nabbed for targeting tourist homes | Thaiger

    Koh Pha Ngan drone thieves nabbed for targeting tourist homes

    Tourist Police on Koh Pha Ngan arrested four Myanmar nationals accused of using drones to scope out rented homes of unsuspecting tourists before breaking in and stealing valuables. The men, aged between 25 and 30, were caught at around 5.30pm yesterday, July 22, at an unregistered rental property in Village 3, where they were reportedly laying low. The arrests came…

  • Phuket-bound Air India Express flight aborts after 16 minutes | Thaiger

    Phuket-bound Air India Express flight aborts after 16 minutes

    Air India makes the headlines again as Air India Express is involved in the latest aviation mishap, where a tropical holiday turned into a mid-air nightmare after a Phuket-bound Air India Express flight was forced to return to Hyderabad just 16 minutes after take-off—leaving frustrated passengers fuming. Flight IX110, operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8, was scheduled to land…

  • Fire erupts at abandoned Ratsada house after 20 years of silence | Thaiger

    Fire erupts at abandoned Ratsada house after 20 years of silence

    A long-forgotten home in Ratsada lit up the night sky as flames erupted from the derelict property—despite it being untouched for nearly 20 years. The blaze broke out around 11.20pm yesterday, July 22, at a single-storey house located on Thepprathan Road in Village 1, Ratsada. Though the fire was extinguished before firefighters could reach the scene, the aftermath was anything…

  • Car scam duo linked to southern Thailand bomb network | Thaiger

    Car scam duo linked to southern Thailand bomb network

    Two men arrested for selling used cars with fake licence plates and forged documents have been linked to a high-stakes crime ring supplying vehicles to car-bombers in Thailand’s Deep South, according to police. In a sweeping raid yesterday, July 22, more than 50 officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) stormed 14 locations across Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok in pursuit…

  • 2 foreign men arrested for riding stolen rental motorcycles from Krabi to Phuket | Thaiger

    2 foreign men arrested for riding stolen rental motorcycles from Krabi to Phuket

    Police successfully recovered two rental motorcycles from a shop owner in Krabi after two foreign men failed to return the vehicles on time and were suspected of riding them to Phuket. The official Facebook page of Choeng Thale Police Station posted images of the two foreign men and urged the public to assist officers by reporting any sightings. Police stated…

  • Visitors flock to Prasat Ta Kwai for offerings and lucky numbers | Thaiger

    Visitors flock to Prasat Ta Kwai for offerings and lucky numbers

    Visitors are flocking to Prasat Ta Kwai in Panom Dong Rak district, Surin province, not only to offer gifts and support to soldiers stationed there but also to admire the beauty of the ancient site. Despite some visitors being elderly and facing physical challenges, the allure of the temple atop a high hill continues to draw many. The site attracts…

  • Phumtham backs Paetongtarn to beat court case and return as PM | Thaiger

    Phumtham backs Paetongtarn to beat court case and return as PM

    Thailand’s political soap opera just took another twist—with acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai backing suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra to beat the rap and reclaim her throne. Speaking to reporters today, July 23, at the Interior Ministry, Phumtham declared he was “confident” that Paetongtarn would emerge from her Constitutional Court battle unscathed and resume leadership of the country. “The prime minister…

  • Inheritance dispute leads to fatal shooting in Surat Thani plantation | Thaiger

    Inheritance dispute leads to fatal shooting in Surat Thani plantation

    A dispute over inherited land led to a tragic shooting in a rubber plantation in Surat Thani’s Ban Na Derm district. Yesterday, July 22, at 6pm, Police Lieutenant Supatchai Sukkhaew from Ban Na Derm Police Station responded to a report of a fatal shooting at a rubber plantation in Baan Na subdistrict. Accompanied by investigative officers, forensic officials, and Kuson…

  • Air Cambodia hits back at Thai Airways copycat claims | Thaiger

    Air Cambodia hits back at Thai Airways copycat claims

    Air Cambodia is fighting back after being accused of copying Thai Airways’ signature look—insisting its purple-and-gold design is 100% Khmer. A social media storm erupted following the airline’s debut flight between Shenzhen, China and Siem Reap on July 18, with Thai netizens claiming that Air Cambodia’s aircraft livery and cabin crew uniforms looked suspiciously similar to those of Thai Airways.…

  • Qantas passengers forced to surrender passports in Bangkok (video) | Thaiger

    Qantas passengers forced to surrender passports in Bangkok (video)

    Aussie travellers were left fuming in Bangkok after their Qantas flight was cancelled at the last minute—forcing them to choose between handing over their passports or sleeping on the airport floor. The service from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Sydney was initially delayed for six hours before being officially cancelled late on Monday night, July 21, stranding dozens of passengers…

  • Motorcycle crash in Pattaya due to unsecured gate leaves two injured | Thaiger

    Motorcycle crash in Pattaya due to unsecured gate leaves two injured

    Strong winds caused a metal gate to swing open onto the road, leading to a motorcycle collision that injured two young people. The accident occurred in Soi Na Kluea 16, Pattaya, and while the injured have reported the incident, there has been no response from the landowner. The injured parties are identified as 20 year old Thanapon Thanathapsapanitch and 19…