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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    Thailand vs. the West: What expats save on healthcare each year

    Healthcare in Thailand is much cheaper than in Western countries, making it a great choice for expatriates looking for affordable medical care. Both public and private healthcare options offer high-quality services, with savings of up to 80% on procedures like...

  • Claw machine crackdown in Thailand targets student routes

    Claw machine crackdown in Thailand targets student routes

    Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat seized dozens of claw machines placed near schools and tutoring centres this past Saturday, May 17, raising growing concern over the devices’ impact on children and their classification as gambling equipment under Thai law. The operation was led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Narakorn Ladchuay, acting Deputy Superintendent of Nakhon Si Thammarat City Police Station, in…

  • Man arrested after decade on the run for machete attack

    Man arrested after decade on the run for machete attack

    Police have apprehended a 69 year old man, Patipol, for allegedly attacking his sister with a machete in a severe inheritance dispute. The incident occurred nearly a decade ago in Chumphon province, and Patipol had since evaded capture by working as a fisherman in the sea near Chon Buri. The arrest was carried out on May 19 following the orders…

  • Thailand video news | Missing British Teen found smuggling, DJ found murdered, Naked farang escapes hospital

    Thailand video news | Missing British Teen found smuggling, DJ found murdered, Naked farang escapes hospital

    In today’s video, we talk about a naked foreigner causing chaos in Pattaya after escaping from a hospital, the suspicious death of an Indian tourist on Koh Samet, and a missing British teen who turned up arrested in Georgia for drug smuggling. We also cover the tragic discovery of DJ Tete’s body in Kanchanaburi, a deadly wild elephant attack in…

  • Thailand launches first leopard shark rewilding project in Phuket

    Thailand launches first leopard shark rewilding project in Phuket

    Thailand has launched its first endangered shark rewilding initiative in Phuket, targeting the restoration of the Indo-Pacific leopard shark’s population. This effort is a collaborative venture involving government bodies, conservation groups, and international partners, marking a significant milestone in the country’s marine conservation efforts. The StAR Project Thailand (Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery), introduced on May 16, is spearheaded by…

  • Pattaya app-based taxi rider punches Indian man for groping him

    Pattaya app-based taxi rider punches Indian man for groping him

    A male app-based motorcycle taxi rider repeatedly punched an Indian man outside a hotel in Pattaya last night, May 18, allegedly after the passenger had groped him during the ride. A security guard at a hotel on Soi Thep Prasit 17, in Bang Lamung district of Pattaya, called rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Thammasathan Foundation to assist the injured Indian man,…

  • Petition planned to halt Senate’s appointment powers amid election probe

    Petition planned to halt Senate’s appointment powers amid election probe

    A Thai Senator plans to petition the Constitutional Court for a temporary suspension of the Senate’s authority to approve appointments to independent state agencies. Finalisation of the petition is expected by today, May 19, amid ongoing investigations into the legitimacy of senatorial elections. The petition, once complete, will be presented to Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja for submission to the Constitutional…

  • Family dispute turns violent as monk accused of assault

    Family dispute turns violent as monk accused of assault

    A family dispute escalated into violence when a woman was assaulted by a monk and his associates at her home on May 17. The incident, shared on the Facebook page “อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทริน์ part 6,” has raised questions about the monk’s involvement in the domestic conflict. According to the account, the woman’s mother had been staying at a monastic centre in…

  • Woman reclaims missing car after spotting it on road (video)

    Woman reclaims missing car after spotting it on road (video)

    A woman unexpectedly encountered her missing car being driven on the road, prompting her to leap off a motorbike taxi and reclaim it. The incident, which occurred on May 17 in Huai Khwang, gained significant attention on social media. Yesterday, May 18, 30 year old Namfon, the car owner, revealed that the situation stemmed from a year-long ordeal involving a…

  • Elderly woman fatally hit by car while crossing road in Samut Songkhram

    Elderly woman fatally hit by car while crossing road in Samut Songkhram

    This morning, May 19, an elderly woman was fatally hit by a car while crossing the road to buy groceries in Samut Songkhram province. The woman previously received warnings from family members, who urged her to rely on them instead of purchasing groceries by herself. Today, Police Lieutenant Chanathip Ongkluab, deputy inspector at Mueang Samut Songkhram Police Station, responded to…

  • Body found in barrel at reservoir near three Thai provinces

    Body found in barrel at reservoir near three Thai provinces

    A man’s body was discovered concealed in a barrel and dumped in a reservoir bordering three provinces. The 50 year old unidentified man was found with a gunshot wound to the left chest and skull injuries by a local fisherman yesterday, May 18, at 4pm. Police from Takhro Police Station, Nakhon Sawan province, were informed by a local that a…

  • Three dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat shooting tragedy

    Three dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat shooting tragedy

    Three people lost their lives in a tragic shooting incident in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The incident occurred yesterday, May 18, at 2pm, when a man shot two others before fleeing into nearby woods, where he ended his life. The investigation, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Sudsakorn Samosorn, along with forensic officers and hospital staff, took place near a resort…

  • Thailand plans e-commerce laws to curb foreign dominance

    Thailand plans e-commerce laws to curb foreign dominance

    A Senate committee is set to propose guidelines in the draft of the Platform Economy Act to tackle the dominance of foreign companies in Thailand’s e-commerce sector. Eakchai Ruangrat, the first Vice-Chairman of the Senate committee on commerce and industry, stated that this initiative aims to restore the country’s digital sovereignty. He made these comments during a recent e-commerce seminar.…

  • Nonthaburi canal walkway subsidence raises safety concerns

    Nonthaburi canal walkway subsidence raises safety concerns

    Residents have raised concerns over a dangerously tilted walkway near a canal in Nonthaburi province, which had worsened since the March 28 earthquake. The path’s condition is particularly problematic for students, the elderly, and bedbound individuals, prompting local authorities to discuss solutions with contractors. Locals reported significant subsidence of the canal-side walkway, causing the utility poles to tilt. The area…

  • Indian man found dead after going missing from Koh Samet resort

    Indian man found dead after going missing from Koh Samet resort

    Local fishermen discovered the body of an Indian man in the sea off the eastern province of Rayong on Saturday, May 17, three days after he had disappeared from a resort on Koh Samet. Officers from Phe Police Station had earlier received a report of a missing Indian national, 49 year old Kakumanu, from a resort on Koh Samet. Resort…

  • Mysterious blaze engulfs BMW X3 in Chon Buri home

    Mysterious blaze engulfs BMW X3 in Chon Buri home

    At 7.30pm yesterday, May 18, police from Mueang Chon Buri Police Station responded to a report of a mysterious fire engulfing a luxury car within a residence in village 1, Nong Mai Daeng subdistrict, Mueang district, Chon Buri province. Firefighters, along with two fire engines and the Trai Khunatham rescue team, were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, a BMW…

  • Lightning strike in Udon Thani claims two lives

    Lightning strike in Udon Thani claims two lives

    A lightning strike in Baan Chaelae, Kumpawapi district, Udon Thani province, has resulted in the deaths of two men. The incident occurred as they were constructing a fish-trapping raft. Emergency services faced challenging conditions to retrieve the bodies amidst severe rainstorms. On May 17, heavy rain and lightning hit the region, leading to the deaths of 68 year old Wirun…

  • Bangkok taxi driver arrested for indecent act on teen

    Bangkok taxi driver arrested for indecent act on teen

    A 62 year old taxi driver was arrested for allegedly committing an indecent act on a 15 year old girl in Bangkok. He claimed his age made him uninterested in romantic pursuits and insisted his actions were paternal. Yesterday, May 18, Police Major General Witthaya Sriprasertphap directed the arrest operation, with Police Colonel Manoon Kaewkam and Police Lieutenant Colonel Rueangwit Duangjinda…

  • Urgent call for help to remove massive net from coral reef

    Urgent call for help to remove massive net from coral reef

    A post was recently shared online by a Facebook user, Rainan Denben, this past weekend on May 17, seeking assistance in removing fishing nets entangled in coral reefs at a national park in Koh Bulon Le in Satun province. The use of nets in fishing is regulated by laws to prevent ecological imbalance, however, some netting methods still adversely affect…

  • Bangkok coffee shop worker gives birth unexpectedly in petrol station toilet

    Bangkok coffee shop worker gives birth unexpectedly in petrol station toilet

    Yesterday, May 18, a 31 year old coffee shop employee, identified as A, unexpectedly gave birth in a toilet at a petrol station located at the entrance of Soi Seri Thai 38, in the Ram Inthra subdistrict of Khan Na Yao district, Bangkok. The newborn, a baby boy, was discovered in the toilet bowl with the umbilical cord still attached.…

  • Tragic electrocution claims couple’s lives in Bangkok home

    Tragic electrocution claims couple’s lives in Bangkok home

    A couple was found deceased from electrocution at their home in Bangkok’s Nong Chok district on May 18. Initially thought to be a seizure, the wife attempted to assist her husband, leading to both being electrocuted. At 7.53am, Police Lieutenant Suwat Deepholngam, deputy inspector of Suwinthawong Police Station, received a report of an electrocution incident at a residence in Krathum…

  • DJ Tete found dead after abduction in Kanchanaburi

    DJ Tete found dead after abduction in Kanchanaburi

    Forensic officers are conducting an investigation following the discovery of DJ Tete’s body, who was abducted earlier. Warapong Khunsrijaturong, a 33 year old man also known as DJ Tete, was reportedly kidnapped by unidentified people. The incident occurred around 3.53am on May 14 in Pruksa Kan 5 Village, Soi 7, Tha Makham subdistrict, Mueang district, Kanchanaburi province. The police have…

  • Tragic elephant attack claims man’s life in Uthai Thani

    Tragic elephant attack claims man’s life in Uthai Thani

    A tragic incident unfolded today, May 18, when a 59 year old man was found dead in a drainage ditch in the Lan Sak district of Uthai Thani province. The man, named Chalo (surname withheld), was reportedly attacked by a wild elephant while returning home from frog hunting. Police Colonel Phonpaisan Kladfueng and other officials were notified and arrived at…

  • Police arrest teenagers in Bangkok hotel sex trafficking sting

    Police arrest teenagers in Bangkok hotel sex trafficking sting

    Police apprehended two 18 year olds at a well-known hotel in Bangkok’s Pom Prap Sattru Phai district on May 17 at 9.30pm. The suspects were accused of engaging in sex trafficking activities, receiving a commission of 1,000 baht for each transaction. The arrest followed a sting operation coordinated by the police. The suspects, identified as A and B, were caught…

  • Navy intercepts meth smuggling, seizes over 1 million pills in Bueng Kan

    Navy intercepts meth smuggling, seizes over 1 million pills in Bueng Kan

    Navy forces in Bueng Kan pursued and apprehended a suspect attempting to smuggle one million methamphetamine pills across the Mekong River. This operation ended in a collision, injuring both the police and the suspect. The incident occurred yesterday, May 17, at the Mekong Riverine Unit in Bueng Kan district, Nong Khai province. Captain Suchart Udomnak, deputy commander of the unit,…

  • Tragic van-truck collision in Surat Thani kills three

    Tragic van-truck collision in Surat Thani kills three

    Thirty kilometres from their destination, a family travelling in a van collided with a 10-wheeler truck, resulting in the tragic deaths of three people, including a one year old girl, and injuring four others. The incident occurred on May 18 when police from Tha Chang Police Station received a report of the collision on Asian Highway 41 in the southbound…

  • Insurgents attack Yala security unit, injuring two officers

    Insurgents attack Yala security unit, injuring two officers

    Violence erupted in Yala as unidentified insurgents opened fire with M-16 rifles and shotguns, targeting a security protection unit and injuring two officers during a shift change. Emergency services rushed the injured to the hospital, where they were stabilised. Yesterday, May 17, the radio centre in Lam Mai district, Mueang Yala, reported the shooting incident involving a security protection unit…

  • Trang child allegedly kicked by parent during school incident (video)

    Trang child allegedly kicked by parent during school incident (video)

    A six year old child was allegedly kicked by an angry parent at a kindergarten in Trang province, following a playground incident. The child’s injuries require a week of medical care, while the accused parent denies the charges. The incident took place on May 15 at around 2.30pm, when a mother arrived at the school to pick up her injured…

  • Chumphon residents protest illegal palm oil harvesting in protected forest

    Chumphon residents protest illegal palm oil harvesting in protected forest

    In Chumphon province, an organised group involving investors, influential figures, and state officials is profiting from palm oil harvesting in a protected forest spanning over 20,000 rai. Locals plan to petition the prime minister to allocate land for community use in line with government policy. Residents and former veterans have been gathering for more than a month at a community…

  • Tragic car accident claims lives of two interns in Phetchaburi

    Tragic car accident claims lives of two interns in Phetchaburi

    Two 18 year old female interns tragically lost their lives in a car accident yesterday, May 17, at 5.50pm in Cha-am district, Phetchaburi province. Police Lieutenant Suphasin Vittinanon, Deputy Inspector of Cha-am Police Station, received a report of the incident involving a car colliding with pedestrians on Petchkasem Road, inbound to Bangkok. Medical personnel from Cha-am Hospital and rescue teams…

  • Pickup truck driver arrested after Bangkok police chase

    Pickup truck driver arrested after Bangkok police chase

    A pickup truck collided with multiple vehicles during an attempted escape from police in Bangkok, resulting in the driver being detained. Yesterday, May 17, a viral video showed the truck speeding and emitting thick black smoke as it tried to evade capture but was eventually stopped by police. The incident occurred at 1pm on Theparak Road, inbound, near a PTT…