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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Tsunami guardian: How one man guards Thailand from the waves (video)
Nearly 20 years after the devastating Boxing Day tsunami, one man in Phang Nga province has become a beacon of hope and safety for his community. Meet 59 year old Banlue Choosin, a former fisherman turned guardian of the Andaman Sea. Ban Nam Khem village, where Banlue lives, was one of the hardest-hit areas in the 2004 disaster, which claimed a…
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Husband strangles wife to death in Phuket tragedy
A tragic incident unfolded when a husband strangled his wife to death in their rented home in Pa Khlok, Thalang district, Phuket. Colleagues of the victim expressed sorrow, revealing that she had recently mentioned feeling relieved after her husband had moved out with his belongings. However, he returned and committed the heinous act early this morning, December 24, at 5.05am.…
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Thailand considers Bitcoin payment trial in Phuket for tech tourists
Thailand is considering a groundbreaking initiative proposed by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to test Bitcoin payments in Phuket, aiming to enhance the country’s appeal to technology-forward tourists. This proposal, however, requires the Bank of Thailand to conduct a detailed examination of the potential risks involved, as highlighted by Gulf Binance, the local division of the global cryptocurrency leader, Binance.…
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Phetchabun: Big bike stunt sparks online backlash (video)
A young motorcyclist’s daring stunt on a big bike in Phetchabun province has captured widespread attention on social media. The footage, showing him riding with one foot on the seat and one hand off the handlebar, sparked significant online criticism. The individual involved admitted to the act, claiming ignorance of the potential consequences. The afternoon of the same day saw…
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Bangkok: Car and pickup plunge into canal, five injured
A dramatic accident occurred when a car and a pickup truck plunged into a drainage canal beside a road in Bangkok, submerging both vehicles and leaving five people injured from water inhalation. Rescuers promptly assisted and transported the injured to hospital for urgent care. Ekphop Painuea, a police inspector from Chokchai Station, received a report at 12.10am today of a…
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Thailand to revise minimum wage across provinces from January
Thailand is set to implement a new minimum wage structure across its 77 provinces from January 1, 2025. The decision was made following an extensive meeting led by Boonsong Thapchaiyuth, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour. The meeting, which took place yesterday, December 23 and lasted over five hours, resulted in a unanimous agreement on the new wage rates,…
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Pattaya crackdown: over 50 arrested in major anti-drug operation
Police in Pattaya have executed a large-scale operation resulting in the arrest of over 50 individuals as part of a concerted effort to combat drug use and criminal activity in the Jomtien area. The operation, named Parasite Clean-up Part 2, was led by Police Major General Thawatchakrit Jindakwanasong, Chief of Chon Buri Provincial Police, and took place in the early…
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Foreign man assaults Pattaya transwoman over noise dispute
A foreign man physically assaulted a Thai transwoman on Sunday, December 22, following an alleged dispute over a loud noise caused by the victim in an apartment in Pattaya. A group of Thai transwomen alerted officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station to the apartment on Pattaya Sai 3 Road, Banglamung district after one of their friends was assaulted. Police arrived…
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Pattaya guesthouse horror: Foreign man found with decomposing body
A troubling discovery unfolded in Pattaya as a foreign man was found living in a guesthouse with his partner’s decomposing body for over three days. Police were alerted to the situation when police were called shortly after 11.30am on December 22. The grim find was made in a room on the fifth floor of a guesthouse located at Soi Somprasong…
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Russian tourist’s gold necklace stolen by trans duo in Pattaya
A Russian visitor in Pattaya reported a theft involving his gold necklace, allegedly stolen by two transgender individuals. The incident unfolded in the early hours of December 22, when police received a report at 3.19am about a tourist being pickpocketed in a hotel parking lot on Soi Wong Amat, Pattaya-Naklua Road. Upon reaching the location, officers encountered Andrei, a tourist…
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Phuket’s traffic revolution: New roads to transform island travel
Phuket is gearing up for a major infrastructure facelift with a slew of secondary road developments aimed at easing traffic woes and boosting tourism. Officials unveiled the ambitious plan at a press conference chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwanarat at Provincial Hall on Friday, December 20, showcasing a roadmap for smoother travel and economic growth. Jakkrapong Thamuntree, Director of Phuket’s…
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Thailand braces for cold spell and stormy weather
Today’s weather forecast from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) highlights the ongoing cold spell across the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand, with thunderstorms expected in some southern areas. A moderate northeastern monsoon affects the Gulf of Thailand and southern regions, while tropical storm Pabuk is anticipated to approach Vietnam’s eastern coast. The high-pressure system continues to dominate the upper…
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PM Paetongtarn embraces political moniker amid press scrutiny
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been nicknamed “Paetongphoey” by Government House reporters, as part of their tradition of assigning monikers to senior officials at the year’s end. The nickname combines the first two syllables of her name with the Thai word “phoey,” meaning “script,” referencing her reliance on prepared speeches during significant events. When asked about the nickname, the 38…
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Thai father allegedly kidnaps 11 year old daughter for begging
A Thai man allegedly kidnapped his young daughter from her aunt’s home in Bangkok for begging. The man is expected to be hiding in Chachoengsao province near Bangkok. The aunt of the missing girl, Na, filed a complaint at Romklao Police Station yesterday, December 22, that her older brother Phon took her 11 year old niece named C (pseudonym) away…
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Thai mother tries to assault Grab driver, mistaking him for daughter’s boyfriend
A Grab car driver shared dashcam footage showing his passenger’s mother mistaking him for her daughter’s boyfriend and attempting to assault him. He posted the video as a warning to other app-based drivers. The driver, Tanapon “Benz” Chumwong, shared the footage on the Facebook group Grab Car Driver Club Thailand yesterday, December 22. Benz captioned the video… “Warning for Grab…
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Supermodel recalls surviving 2004 tsunami after 20 years
Twenty years after surviving the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, supermodel Petra Nemcova revisited her harrowing experience in a recent Good Morning America interview with Diane Sawyer. Nemcova, now 45 years old, was vacationing at Thailand’s Khao Lak resort with her boyfriend, photographer Simon Atlee, when the tsunami struck on December 26, 2004. The massive waves, triggered by an undersea…
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Thai police collaborate with UK to improve detainee conditions
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has joined forces with the United Kingdom to enhance custody procedures and improve the living conditions for detainees at police stations across Thailand. This collaborative project aims to adopt a UK-based model to uplift safety standards and quality of life for those held in custody. Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the inspector-general of the RTP, recently…
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Thailand’s massage therapist shortage outlined by Health Ministry
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has unveiled plans to train 7,000 new massage therapists, addressing a significant workforce shortage in an industry worth 200 billion baht annually. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin announced the initiative yesterday, December 22, emphasising the goal of elevating Thai traditional massage as a complementary treatment alongside conventional medicine. The programme will focus on developing specialists who…
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Shots fired at cockfighting arena after million baht bet (video)
Shots rang out at a cockfighting arena in Nakhon Pathom as a group reportedly lost a high-stakes bet of around a million baht. Law enforcement launched a manhunt for three armed suspects involved in the incident. Two suspects have already been detained, with police vowing to bring the remaining perpetrators to justice. The incident, which occurred when a group lost…
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Thai police removed after video exposes traffic fine misconduct
A viral video on Thai social media led to the temporary removal of a traffic officer from the Rattanathibet Police Station in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, for allegedly collecting traffic fines personally. The Facebook news page Social Hunter 2022 yesterday, December 22, shared the video, which shows a traffic officer from Rattanathibet Police Station collecting an unofficial fine from a…
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Thai woman arrested for fatally shooting girlfriend, ending 12-year relationship
Police arrested a Thai woman for fatally shooting her girlfriend at a house in the central province of Pathum Thani on Saturday, December 21, marking the tragic end of their 12-year relationship. The fatal shooting occurred at the victim’s home in the Pruksa D Village in Pathum Thani at approximately 7.50am on Saturday. The ground floor of the property was…
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Crackdown in Jomtien, Pattaya, nabs over 50 for drug offences
A major crackdown operation dubbed Purge the Parasites Part 2 was conducted in Jomtien, Pattaya, targeting crime and drug-related offences. Over 50 individuals involved in drug possession and consumption were apprehended during the raid, which took place yesterday, December 22. The operation was spearheaded by Tawatchai Jindakawornsanong, the Chon Buri Provincial Police Commander. The operation involved a massive deployment of over 900…
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Malaysia Airlines grounds Airbus A330neo after technical issues
Malaysia Airlines has temporarily grounded its newly acquired Airbus A330neo aircraft due to technical problems, as reported by the Business Times. Following its debut flight to Melbourne, the aircraft experienced multiple technical issues, prompting the airline to take swift action. The national carrier of Malaysia received the Airbus A330neo at the end of November and has plans to acquire an…
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Jealous husband shoots wife over infidelity suspicions
A tragic domestic incident unfolded yesterday, December 22, in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, where a jealous husband used his stepson to lure his wife into opening a bedroom door before fatally shooting her. The woman, identified as 38 year old Dusadee was found critically injured in her home and later succumbed to her injuries at Chonprathan Hospital Pak Kret. The incident occurred…
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Pathum Thani shop offers splash of petrol to locals, free of charge
A motorcycle shop owner in Pathum Thani has generously offered free petrol to locals, leading to long queues of motorbikes stretching over 500 metres. This gesture, not tied to any festival or condition, aims to alleviate financial burdens. Residents, motorcycle taxi drivers, and delivery riders gathered in front of the Nuanakorn Motorcycles shop on the road alongside Klong Sam to…
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Twenty years on, waves of Tsunami trauma still echoes in Phang Nga
Twenty years after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, survivors in Thailand’s Ban Nam Khem village in Phan Nga province still carry vivid memories of that fateful December morning. For Neungduangjai Sritrakarn, then a 20 year old college freshman, the day began with her mother’s urgent warning to evacuate their seaside home. Sensing danger from unusual whitecaps on the Andaman…
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Alcohol sale breaks record on Air India Express’s inaugural flight to Bangkok
Air India Express marked the launch of its new direct route from Surat in India to Bangkok with an unforgettable incident as passengers reportedly consumed the entire alcohol supply, valued at around 70,000 baht, before landing. The Indian low-cost airline announced in November that it would begin direct flights in December from Surat and Pune to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport,…
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Thailand video news | Thai taxi driver assaulted by foreigner in Pattaya, Malaysia to resume search for missing flight MH370
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay deliver a roundup of gripping stories from Thailand and beyond. From a Pattaya court sentencing three individuals for the shocking murder of a German businessman to a devastating three-vehicle collision in Nong Bua Lamphu, the headlines cover a spectrum of impactful events. They also highlight Phuket’s historic upcoming same-sex marriage ceremony, a…
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Dutch tourist allegedly escapes bills and steals from many Phuket hotels
A Dutch tourist reportedly evaded paying bills and stole room keys, along with other items, from several hotels in Phuket but remains at large. The Facebook page Phuket Times reported on Saturday, December 21, issuing a warning to hotels in Phuket… “Naughty tourist! He stayed at multiple hotels in Phuket and left without paying. He even stole the room key…
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Udon Thani officers suspended over allegations of traffic bribes
Eighteen traffic police officers in Udon Thani are facing suspension due to allegations of accepting bribes for traffic tickets. This development arose after a video was shared on a popular Thai Facebook page, depicting officers providing motorists with a choice: pay on the spot or receive a ticket. Public outcry ensued, with many criticising the practice. The incident occurred yesterday,…
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