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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    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...

  • Foreigner criticised for hammock stunt on Bangkok billboard (video)

    Foreigner criticised for hammock stunt on Bangkok billboard (video)

    A foreign man is facing backlash after he created a video of himself lying in a hammock hung from a large advertisement billboard near Asoke Intersection in Bangkok. Thai social media account Red Skull shared a video of the foreign man yesterday, June 23, with a caption that read, “Is this the same foreigner from the previous viral video, where he…

  • AI to impact less than 4% of Thailand’s service sector jobs

    AI to impact less than 4% of Thailand’s service sector jobs

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to have a limited impact on employment in Thailand, with fewer than 4% of service sector workers at high risk of being replaced by the technology, according to Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research). A study conducted by Microsoft and LinkedIn revealed that 74% of Thai business leaders, compared to 66% globally, stated they would not hire…

  • British pedophile’s 30-year Thai escape leads to 30 new charges

    British pedophile’s 30-year Thai escape leads to 30 new charges

    A British pedophile arrested at a London airport after hiding in Thailand for almost 30 years is facing an additional 30 historic sex-related charges. Richard Burrows, one of the UK’s “most wanted” fugitives, saw his 50-year reign of terror come to an end when he was apprehended on Thursday, March 28, at Heathrow Airport after hiding in Thailand and evading…

  • Pathum Thani woman arrested for attacking locals with sticks

    Pathum Thani woman arrested for attacking locals with sticks

    Pathum Thani police arrested a woman who attacked locals with a wooden stick and a knife, resulting in injuries including a sprained wrist for one victim and causing property damage. The suspect made incoherent statements and is currently detained for further questioning before legal proceedings start. At 9pm yesterday, June 23, Police Superintendent of Khlong Luang Police Station in Pathum…

  • Suspect in Sattahip vanishes from police station after alcohol theft

    Suspect in Sattahip vanishes from police station after alcohol theft

    A daring escape took place yesterday at Sattahip Police Station when a suspect was whisked away by an accomplice, leaving police scrambling for clues. The suspect, who had been apprehended for stealing alcohol from a local mall, managed to flee the scene with the help of a man on a motorcycle. At 1.52pm, the Chief of Sattahip Police Station in…

  • Tour bus U-turn results in fatal collision with motorbike in Chon Buri

    Tour bus U-turn results in fatal collision with motorbike in Chon Buri

    A tragic accident occurred yesterday at 10.36pm on Highway 36 in Chon Buri when a tour bus made a U-turn and collided with a motorcycle, resulting in a fatality. Rescue units and local police were promptly dispatched to the scene. The tour bus showed damage on the storage compartment door near the rear wheels. Nearby, a Yamaha sports bike was…

  • Heavy rainfall warning issued across 56 Thai provinces

    Heavy rainfall warning issued across 56 Thai provinces

    The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued a warning for heavy rainfall across 56 provinces in Thailand today, affecting 70% of the area, including Bangkok. The public is advised to be cautious of potential flash floods and sudden water surges. The TMD forecasts 24 hours of intense weather conditions due to a strong southwest monsoon covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand,…

  • Body of missing Belgian man found after ignoring red flag in Phuket

    Body of missing Belgian man found after ignoring red flag in Phuket

    A Belgian man drowned after ignoring a red flag warning on Freedom Beach in Phuket. Thai netizens’ opinions were divided. Some expressed condolences to his family, while others condemned him for being reckless and causing trouble to rescuers. According to a Phuket Times report on June 22, two accidents were reported on Kata and Freedom beaches. In the first incident,…

  • Ex-general’s house goes up in flames under MFP MP’s watch

    Ex-general’s house goes up in flames under MFP MP’s watch

    A fire erupted last night at a historic half-concrete, half-wooden house in Bangkok, once owned by General Chatichai Choonhavan and now home to Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Tisana Choonhavan. The inferno ignited around 9.30pm, June 23, and was swiftly extinguished within half an hour, but not before causing extensive damage to roughly half of the property. Miraculously, there were…

  • Bull-dozed: Wild chase ends in tragic crash near Khao Yai

    Bull-dozed: Wild chase ends in tragic crash near Khao Yai

    A wild bull fatally crashed into a cement pillar while chasing a resident near Khao Yai National Park in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima. The incident occurred at 9.40am yesterday, June 23, when park officials received the alarming report. Surasawadee Rueangjab, the headwoman of Pong Ta Long Subdistrict, stated that a resident was gathering vegetables near the park’s boundary when a…

  • Tourists flee as tuk tuk leader threatens taxi driver in Patong

    Tourists flee as tuk tuk leader threatens taxi driver in Patong

    A heated confrontation erupted in front of Jungceylon in Patong yesterday when a local tuk tuk leader threatened a metered taxi driver, prompting the taxi’s foreign passengers to quickly exit for their safety. The incident unfolded as the metered taxi was dropping off a customer at the bustling mall. Two foreign tourists entered the taxi, unaware of the turmoil that…

  • Bangkok police arrest man for selling modified blank guns

    Bangkok police arrest man for selling modified blank guns

    Police in Bangkok have apprehended a 26 year old man for selling modified blank guns. Despite attempting to flee by jumping over a fence, he was captured. He admitted to selling these weapons to local teenagers and has a notable criminal history. Today, June 23, officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau, under the leadership of Theeradech Thammasuthee, alongside Kiattisak Sarathong-Aoi,…

  • British man found dead in Phuket hotel room, drugs suspected

    British man found dead in Phuket hotel room, drugs suspected

    A 48 year old British man was discovered dead in his hotel room in Cherng Talay, Phuket, prompting an investigation by local police. Police were alerted to the scene in Soi Cherng Talay 14 at 4.30pm yesterday, June 22. The man was found lying on his back on the bed, clad in grey boxer shorts, with his hands tightly clenched.…

  • Cobra in new motorcycle sparks three-hour rescue in Ayutthaya

    Cobra in new motorcycle sparks three-hour rescue in Ayutthaya

    A spitting cobra slithered into a new motorcycle, prompting a three-hour rescue mission by local authorities. The 46 year old owner, who recently acquired the vehicle, believes the snake might bring good luck, as she just received the new license plate. Emergency services in Ayutthaya were alerted by a resident needing assistance to capture a cobra inside a motorcycle parked…

  • Motorcyclist with epilepsy dies in crash, girlfriend severely injured

    Motorcyclist with epilepsy dies in crash, girlfriend severely injured

    A 25 year old man suffering from epilepsy crashed his motorcycle into a utility pole and died instantly, while his girlfriend sustained severe injuries. His sister revealed he had been using a prosthetic leg for several years and frequently experienced seizures. Police Lieutenant Warachet Dechdecho, an investigator from Phra Samut Chedi Police Station in Samut Prakan province, reported the accident…

  • Police arrest two in Chiang Rai over meth smuggling in avocados

    Police arrest two in Chiang Rai over meth smuggling in avocados

    Police captured two agents linked to smuggling 1.5 million methamphetamine tablets disguised in avocado boxes, connected to a previous seizure involving pineapples. The operation, led by Chiang Rai police, resulted in the arrests of 28 year old Sunittra and 29 year old Watthana. Police received information on a significant drug trafficking operation from the Mae Chan district, with drugs being…

  • Thailand approves 3.75-trillion-baht budget for 2025 fiscal year

    Thailand approves 3.75-trillion-baht budget for 2025 fiscal year

    Thailand’s House of Representatives approved the 3.75-trillion-baht budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year late yesterday with 311 votes in favour, 175 against, and two abstentions. A special 72-member House committee has been established to scrutinise the bill, consisting of 18 Cabinet representatives and 54 members from both government and opposition parties. This committee will convene its initial meeting tomorrow…

  • Influenza claims 14 lives, impacting over 180,000 nationwide

    Influenza claims 14 lives, impacting over 180,000 nationwide

    Influenza has claimed 14 lives and affected over 180,000 individuals across the nation since the start of the year, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC). Director-General Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn addressed public concerns yesterday regarding severe strains of influenza circulating online. He clarified that influenza is a respiratory viral infection that generally causes mild symptoms and can be treated effectively.…

  • Basal tyrannosauroid teeth found in Kalasin, Thailand

    Basal tyrannosauroid teeth found in Kalasin, Thailand

    Kasetsart University researcher Wongwech Chowchuvech uncovered the fossilised teeth of a Basal Tyrannosauroid in Phu Noi, Kalasin province, marking a significant palaeontological find in Southeast Asia. The discovery, which emerged under the guidance of Assistant Professor Chatchalerm Ketwetsuriya, Mahasarakham University researcher Sita Manitkoon, and Sirindhorn Museum director Phornphen Chanthasit, sheds light on the region’s prehistoric biodiversity. Analysis of the teeth…

  • Woman arrested in Bangkok for fifth drug trafficking offence

    Woman arrested in Bangkok for fifth drug trafficking offence

    Police arrested a woman for drug trafficking at her home, marking her fifth arrest for similar offences. Officers confiscated a large quantity of methamphetamine and crystal methamphetamine from her residence in Lat Krabang, Bangkok. The arrest occurred today following orders from Police Colonel Somphot Thongmoon, Superintendent of Romklao Police Station, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Kornwarat Promsawan, Acting Deputy Superintendent of…

  • Wat Lat Nam Khao fire: Novice monk heroically rescues abbot

    Wat Lat Nam Khao fire: Novice monk heroically rescues abbot

    A fire broke out at Wat Lat Nam Khao in Suphan Buri, with a novice monk smashing a window to rescue Luang Pu Thoop, a revered monk, from the flames. Despite the swift response from local firefighters, the fire consumed the temple’s ancient wooden structures. At 2pm yesterday, Narongsak Palakawong Na Ayudhya, an investigator at Bang Pla Ma Police Station…

  • Student electrocuted turning off water dispenser at Thai school

    Student electrocuted turning off water dispenser at Thai school

    A tragic incident unfolded at a high school in Kantang District, Trang Province, leaving a student dead from electrocution while attempting to turn off a water dispenser. The event, which occurred during a school sports day, was captured on video and shared on social media, causing widespread shock and grief. The video, posted on the Facebook pages กันตัง บ้านเรา and…

  • The surge of online casinos in Asia: Leading countries and key drivers

    The surge of online casinos in Asia: Leading countries and key drivers

    Asia could soon become the largest online gambling market in the world if more countries legalize the industry. For a long time, Asian countries remained quiet while the rest of the world made laws to permit sports betting and online casinos. Now, Asian countries are changing their gambling laws left, right, and centre, from China to India. In this article,…

  • Thailand’s exports surge in May with agricultural products

    Thailand’s exports surge in May with agricultural products

    Thailand’s exports reached their highest level in 14 months, achieving a 7.2% year-on-year growth in May, largely due to a surge in agricultural products. Director-General of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office Poonpong Naiyanapakorn announced that the value of exports in May expanded to US$26.2 billion (approximately 960 billion baht), marking a significant gain of 7.2%. Thai shipments, excluding gold,…

  • Pattaya path wall forces pedestrians into danger

    Pattaya path wall forces pedestrians into danger

    Residents and tourists are up in arms over a perilous obstruction near Soi 18 on Pattaya-Naklua Road. A wall from a local restaurant is blocking the path, forcing pedestrians to risk their lives by walking on the bustling street instead. This hazardous situation has sparked serious concerns about potential accidents, especially since the road is heavily trafficked by public transportation,…

  • Thailand scoops top honours in travel awards including Koh Samui

    Thailand scoops top honours in travel awards including Koh Samui

    Thailand has cemented its status as a premier travel destination, sweeping the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2024. Koh Samui has been crowned the Best Island in the Asia Pacific, while Samui Airport secured a commendable fourth place among the region’s best airports. Bangkok also emerged victorious, being named the Best City in the Asia Pacific. These accolades…

  • Police target tourist scammers in major Pattaya cleanup

    Police target tourist scammers in major Pattaya cleanup

    To make Pattaya safer for tourists, the Tourist Police Bureau has joined forces with the embassies of five countries to combat tourist scams and dismantle 10 criminal gangs operating in the bustling resort city. Bureau Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am led a crucial meeting on Thursday to establish robust safety measures for tourists in Chon Buri’s popular destination. The…

  • I’ve been denied entry to Thailand – Now What?

    I’ve been denied entry to Thailand – Now What?

    THE THAIGER / ASEAN NOW EXCLUSIVE What happens if you are being denied entry to Thailand? The Thaiger asked Tod Daniels, visa expert at ASEAN NOW visa forum, what do do in this situation. Tod: The first thing is DO NOT panic, many many hundreds of people per week are denied entry and it is not the end of the…

  • Government may raise foreign condo ownership limit to 75%

    Government may raise foreign condo ownership limit to 75%

    The government considers increasing the foreign ownership limit in condominiums from 49% to 75% of a building’s usable space, as disclosed by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. The Interior Ministry is evaluating the feasibility of extending the maximum leasehold period for foreigners from 50 years to 99 years. Phumtham stated that this proposal was first discussed at a Cabinet meeting…

  • Budget deficit: Government to unveil new economic measures

    Budget deficit: Government to unveil new economic measures

    Amidst budget deficit concerns, the government will introduce new measures to boost the struggling economy next week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced today. Discussions about economic stimuli and the stock market were held with Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira yesterday evening. “A significant announcement on short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures will be made tomorrow or the day after.” When asked if…