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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  • Bangkok to complete 1,000km of upgraded footpaths by 2026

    Bangkok to complete 1,000km of upgraded footpaths by 2026

    Bangkok is stepping up its game, with major changes underway to improve the city’s footpaths and make them safer, more accessible, and better suited to local character. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is on track to deliver 1,000 kilometres of high-quality footpaths by 2026, and they’re already over 70% of the way there. Yesterday, Aekvarunyoo Amrapala, spokesperson for the BMA,…

  • Homeless man arrested for spray-painting Pattaya court sign

    Homeless man arrested for spray-painting Pattaya court sign

    A homeless man has been arrested for spray-painting the Pattaya Provincial Court sign in a bizarre act of vandalism that has left local police scratching their heads. Yesterday, Pattaya police detained a 40 year old man, identified only as Weerasak, from Phichit province. He was accused of defacing the Pattaya Provincial Court sign, located on Thapphraya Road in South Pattaya.…

  • Education Ministry backs overseas summer camp for Thai students

    Education Ministry backs overseas summer camp for Thai students

    The Ministry of Education is supporting the One District One Scholarship (ODOS) initiative, encouraging Mathayom 4 (Grade 10) students across Thailand to apply for the newly launched overseas summer camp programme. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, assistant to Education Minister Police General Permpoon Chidchob, explained that the summer camp aims to offer Thai students international exposure and prepare them for future ODOS higher…

  • Toxic haze: Chiang Mai at No. 5 globally for poor air quality

    Toxic haze: Chiang Mai at No. 5 globally for poor air quality

    Chiang Mai has been ranked as the world’s fifth-worst city for air quality, with PM2.5 levels exceeding safe limits across the province. Hod district experienced the highest levels, with PM2.5 reaching 144 microgrammes per cubic metre today, March 22. The weakening of a cold air mass has caused reduced air ventilation, contributing to the accumulation of dust particles. At 9am,…

  • Overnight water cuts to hit Phuket twice

    Overnight water cuts to hit Phuket twice

    Get your buckets ready – large parts of Phuket are set to run dry overnight as the island’s water authority warns of widespread supply cuts affecting homes and businesses across central areas. The Phuket branch of the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) has announced that water supply will be disrupted on two consecutive nights, tomorrow and Monday (March 23 and 24),…

  • Mall chaos: Bag frenzy sparks fight in Central Thailand

    Mall chaos: Bag frenzy sparks fight in Central Thailand

    A chaotic scene unfolded outside the Central Westgate shopping centre in Bang Yai district, Nonthaburi province in Central Thailand, where a group became involved in a physical altercation over queuing spots for purchasing 300 limited edition branded bags. The incident prompted the police to intervene and halt sales for the day. Yesterday at 11pm, a reporter visited the site at the…

  • Phuket urges employers to boost worker protection

    Phuket urges employers to boost worker protection

    Phuket’s top officials are urging business owners to get serious about social security – or risk leaving their workers in the lurch and violating the law. The Phuket Social Security Office is pushing for greater awareness of its services and benefits, reminding employers that proper registration and contributions aren’t just red tape – they’re crucial financial lifelines for workers. The…

  • Child pornography group leader busted in Bangkok

    Child pornography group leader busted in Bangkok

    Thai cybercrime police, in collaboration with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), have apprehended the administrator of a notorious online group named Second-hand Parts, suspected of distributing child pornography. This arrest follows the capture of a father-son duo involved in similar activities. On March 22, Police General Kittirat Phanphet, along with other senior officers, including Police General Thana Chuwong and…

  • Heathrow blackout grounds THAI flights, chaos erupts

    Heathrow blackout grounds THAI flights, chaos erupts

    A massive power failure has plunged London’s Heathrow Airport into chaos, grounding flights and stranding passengers, with Thai travellers among the hardest hit. The meltdown began just after 11pm on Thursday, March 20, when a fire broke out at the North Hyde electrical substation in Hayes, West London. The blaze knocked out both primary and backup power supplies, crippling operations at…

  • Bangla Road traswomen busted in police tourism image blitz

    Bangla Road traswomen busted in police tourism image blitz

    Police in Phuket have launched a sweeping crackdown on those accused of tarnishing Thailand’s tourism reputation — with transgender women on Patong’s infamous Bangla Road caught in the crosshairs. In a surprise late-night operation, officers rounded up 37 people, accusing them of causing disturbances and harming the tourism industry. Many of those detained were transgender women working the nightlife strip,…

  • Ex-Miss Thailand rescues ant-covered woman from drunk husband

    Ex-Miss Thailand rescues ant-covered woman from drunk husband

    A former Miss Thailand turned social activist has exposed a heart-wrenching case of elder neglect in Prachuap Khiri Khan – finding a frail woman bedridden, covered in ants and fed scraps by her drunken husband. Panadda Wongphudee, 46, chairperson of the Good Deeds Foundation, led the rescue mission yesterday, March 21, alongside officials from the Pak Nam Pran Municipality and…

  • German dentist attacker found dead with throat slit

    German dentist attacker found dead with throat slit

    A notorious German man accused of attacking female dentists across Korat has been found dead with his throat slashed – his body eerily guarded by two snarling Rottweilers. The grim discovery was made around 5.20pm yesterday, March 21, in a single-storey house near Wat Don Chomphu in the Don Chomphu subdistrict, Non Sung district, Nakhon Ratchasima. The lifeless body of…

  • Bee chaos at Ubon Ratchathani temple market injures 6 (video)

    Bee chaos at Ubon Ratchathani temple market injures 6 (video)

    Chaos ensued at a temple market in Ubon Ratchathani’s Warin Chamrap district yesterday when a swarm of local bees attacked a hive of wild bees brought for sale. Six people, including the elderly and disabled, sustained injuries from bee stings and required medical attention. The incident occurred at the Phasukaram Temple’s amulet market when a vendor attempted to sell a…

  • Thai king and queen open Suvarnabhumi’s terminal and runway

    Thai king and queen open Suvarnabhumi’s terminal and runway

    King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida yesterday inaugurated the first satellite terminal and the third runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province. This ceremony coincided with the auspicious royal event marking the king’s 72nd birthday on July 28 last year. Upon their arrival, they were welcomed by key figures, including Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit,…

  • Legal pardon offered: Thai man pleads for return of 1 million baht stolen amulets

    Legal pardon offered: Thai man pleads for return of 1 million baht stolen amulets

    An owner of a Buddhist amulet store in the Si Racha district of Chon Buri promised to drop legal proceedings if a thief returned four stolen amulets worth nearly 1 million baht. The store owner, 58 year old Boonhome Saen-ubon, reached out to several media outlets in an attempt to locate the thief. Boonhome revealed that the theft took place…

  • Masked killers fatally shoot cattle farmer in Pattani

    Masked killers fatally shoot cattle farmer in Pattani

    A chilling murder in the southern province of Pattani has left a community reeling, as four masked assailants ruthlessly gunned down a local cattle farmer in a brutal execution-style shooting. The killers escaped on two motorcycles, leaving the police scrambling to uncover the motive behind the cold-blooded attack. The horrific shooting unfolded in Ban Klang subdistrict, Panare district, Pattani province…

  • Trunk wash surprise: Thai car care centre goes viral with elephant baths (video)

    Trunk wash surprise: Thai car care centre goes viral with elephant baths (video)

    In a quirky twist, a car care centre in Chon Buri has gained viral fame for introducing a unique new service—elephant baths! What started as a promotional stunt has captured the hearts of netizens, as a delightful video of an elephant enjoying its bath goes viral across social media. A photo shared by Facebook user Chakkrit Chamnongplee yesterday, March 20,…

  • Foreign man accused of damaging Phuket woman’s car

    Foreign man accused of damaging Phuket woman’s car

    A Thai woman yesterday accused a foreign man of damaging her car without reason on a road in Phuket. Some netizens sided with the foreigner after watching footage of the incident. The Thai woman urged the news Facebook page Phuket Times to share her story to seek justice. She revealed on the page that the foreign man rushed towards her…

  • Experts warn Thailand’s digital wallet plan could be a short-term fix

    Experts warn Thailand’s digital wallet plan could be a short-term fix

    As Thailand plans its next round of digital wallet handouts, experts are raising concerns. The government’s initiative, aimed at distributing funds to teenagers, may not have the desired economic impact. In fact, some argue it could do more harm than good in the long run. The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) urged the government to reconsider its approach, advising a…

  • Loco antics: Drugged-up drama as man halts Hat Yai express

    Loco antics: Drugged-up drama as man halts Hat Yai express

    Pandemonium erupted in Hat Yai when a Thai man under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs turned the railway tracks into his personal stage, causing a train to come to a screeching halt. The bizarre incident, captured on video, saw the man standing, lying, and even walking towards the moving train, sparking chaos at the station. It all unfolded yesterday, March…

  • Rayong mother’s mate accused of battering girl over blame game

    Rayong mother’s mate accused of battering girl over blame game

    A Thai woman yesterday beat a friend’s 12 year old daughter at a house in the eastern province of Rayong. The alleged aggressor accused the victim of spoiling her daughter and encouraging her to meet with friends without her mother’s permission. Several Thai news agencies shared footage of the incident, showing the 39 year old woman attacking the young girl…

  • Overpass tragedy: Thai motorcyclist’s birthday ends in fatal fall

    Overpass tragedy: Thai motorcyclist’s birthday ends in fatal fall

    In a tragic twist of fate, a 42 year old man died on his birthday after his motorcycle veered off a 10-metre overpass in Nonthaburi, near Bangkok. The rider, Seksan (surname withheld), was reported to have overtaken a taxi at high speed before the catastrophe. At 2am, today, March 21, Chaiyapruek Police Station officers in Nonthaburi, alongside Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteers,…

  • 6 year old Thai boy kidnapped by teenage girl reunited with family

    6 year old Thai boy kidnapped by teenage girl reunited with family

    A 15 year old girl kidnapped a six year old boy in the central province of Pathum Thani. The pair were found near the Victory Monument in Bangkok. The motive of the young girl remains under investigation. The family of the six year old boy, named Kao, took to social media to share his missing poster after he disappeared from…

  • Thai stock index jumps as gold hits record high amid Fed rate plans

    Thai stock index jumps as gold hits record high amid Fed rate plans

    In a striking turn for the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the index surged for the third consecutive day, momentarily cracking the 1,200-point mark yesterday, as gold prices soared to record highs. This rally followed the Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain interest rates at 4.25-4.50%, as anticipated. Rakpong Charoenpong, Senior Vice President at KGI Securities (Thailand), attributed the buoyant market…

  • Rama II drama: Crane truck collapse severely injures man

    Rama II drama: Crane truck collapse severely injures man

    Following the Dao Khanong Expressway Bridge collapse, Bangkok’s Rama II saw yet another serious accident as a crane truck used for tree pruning collapsed, injuring a 63 year old man. The man suffered a serious forehead injury, requiring immediate medical attention, including a ventilator, at the hospital. The incident occurred yesterday, March 20 on Rama II Road near Soi 44.…

  • Chinese woman arrested in Pattaya for crypto scam

    Chinese woman arrested in Pattaya for crypto scam

    A raid on a luxury villa in Pattaya turned into a stunning double arrest as Thai police captured a Chinese woman accused of masterminding a cryptocurrency investment scam worth over US$18.4 million (around 622 million baht). But the surprises didn’t end there—officers also uncovered her fugitive boyfriend, an international criminal with a chilling past. The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD)…

  • Blooming brilliant: Thailand rakes in billions from orchid exports

    Blooming brilliant: Thailand rakes in billions from orchid exports

    Thailand has once again proven its floral dominance, exporting over 5 billion baht worth of orchids in the last two years alone. With demand for Thai orchids flourishing across the globe, the country has cemented its status as the world’s leading exporter of these beautiful blooms. According to the Department of Business Development (DBD), Thai exports of decorative plants from…

  • Thailand video news | Nightclub owner jailed over deadly Pattaya fire, Malaysia restarts MH370 search with ‘no find, no fee’ deal

    Thailand video news | Nightclub owner jailed over deadly Pattaya fire, Malaysia restarts MH370 search with ‘no find, no fee’ deal

    In today’s Thailand video news update, Alex and Jay bring key stories from Thailand and Southeast Asia. A Pattaya court sentenced nightclub owner Phongsiri and associates to prison over the deadly 2022 fire, while Phuket prepares for a major water outage in Patong. Thailand climbed to 49th in the World Happiness Report, though challenges remain. Meanwhile, PM2.5 pollution surges across…

  • Red card: Thai cops in Liverpool kits bust Toon clad drug dealer

    Red card: Thai cops in Liverpool kits bust Toon clad drug dealer

    A Thai drug dealer wearing a Newcastle United football jersey was arrested yesterday by Krabi police officers clad in Liverpool replica shirts in an ironic swoop. The symbolic arrest was in revenge for Liverpool’s defeat to Newcastle last week in the Carabao Cup final. United beat the Reds 2-1 thanks to goals by Dan Burn and Alexander Isak to lift…

  • Paetongtarn hits back at opposition’s ‘secret deal’ claims

    Paetongtarn hits back at opposition’s ‘secret deal’ claims

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has lashed out at the opposition People’s Party after they accused her of making political deals for her family’s gain. Dismissing the allegations as baseless, she’s calling for reason over rumours as the no-confidence debate heats up. In a fiery response to accusations from the opposition, the Thai premier spoke to reporters yesterday, March 20, denying…