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.

  • Chinese man held with C4 and grenades ‘to attack Thailand’ | Thaiger

    Chinese man held with C4 and grenades ‘to attack Thailand’

    A car crash in Chon Buri has led police to one of the largest private weapons caches uncovered in recent memory, after a 31 year old Chinese national was found with C4 explosives, anti-personnel mines, and two M16 rifles at his rented home. Mingchen Sun was arrested after his sedan overturned in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district, Chon…

  • Thai police bust major online vaping network in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Thai police bust major online vaping network in Bangkok

    Bangkok police have dismantled a major online vaping network in the Prawet district, seizing over 200,000 illegal electronic cigarettes and related items. Deputy police chief Nirandorn Lueamsri announced the operation on May 8, involving officers from the Anti-Cyber Crime Division and Udomsuk Police Station, alongside customs officials. During the raid, officers discovered a large cache of electronic cigarettes and three…

  • True Academy Fantasia judge criticised for complaining contestant’s use of English | Thaiger

    True Academy Fantasia judge criticised for complaining contestant’s use of English

    A commentator on True Academy Fantasia 2026 faced online criticism after remarks about the use of English of a contestant during an audition, saying it is “a bit showing off“. The incident occurred during a live audition aired on Wednesday, May 6, after the show began its online audition process on March 8. Contestants initially submitted video introductions and performances, with selected applicants…

  • Nakhon Si Thammarat theft suspect consumes 25 meth pills before arrest | Thaiger

    Nakhon Si Thammarat theft suspect consumes 25 meth pills before arrest

    Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrested a theft suspect today, May 8, after he allegedly stole 40,000 baht, used part of the money to buy methamphetamine, and consumed 25 pills in less than 24 hours. Police identified the suspect as 39 year old Arin from Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district. He was arrested at a rented house in Tha Sala district…

  • Coronavirus found in Thai bats poses low spread risk, DDC says | Thaiger

    Coronavirus found in Thai bats poses low spread risk, DDC says

    Thailand has found a coronavirus in bats during routine wildlife disease surveillance, but no human infections have been reported, and the public risk remains low, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC). DDC Director-General Dr Montien Kanasawat said today, May 8, that the discovery reflected Thailand’s ability to rapidly detect emerging diseases through its monitoring systems. Researchers studying horseshoe…

  • 8 Chinese nationals held in Chiang Mai for illegal series production | Thaiger

    8 Chinese nationals held in Chiang Mai for illegal series production

    Eight Chinese nationals were arrested for illegally filming a social media drama series without permission in an accommodation in the Hang Dong district in Chiang Mai. Officers from Tourist Police Division 2 acted on a complaint that a group of Chinese nationals had rented accommodation in the district and were using it as a filming location. The complainants questioned whether the…

  • Philippines hosts talks as Thailand, Cambodia seek renewed trust | Thaiger

    Philippines hosts talks as Thailand, Cambodia seek renewed trust

    Thailand and Cambodia agreed to rebuild trust and open a new chapter in bilateral relations after three-way talks initiated by the Philippines during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu yesterday, May 7. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the Shangri-La Mactan hotel in Cebu to discuss the Thailand-Cambodia situation,…

  • Thai mother seeks help to locate missing child after babysitter swaps baby | Thaiger

    Thai mother seeks help to locate missing child after babysitter swaps baby

    A Thai woman is seeking help to locate her missing child after a babysitter allegedly lost the infant and replaced the baby with another child. The 24 year old mother, identified only as Joy, approached the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women to assist in finding her biological child. She said she had already taken legal action against the babysitter,…

  • Israel embassy warns Israelis as Phuket tightens foreigner rules | Thaiger

    Israel embassy warns Israelis as Phuket tightens foreigner rules

    The Embassy of Israel in Thailand has warned Israeli nationals in Phuket to follow local laws after provincial officials reportedly ordered stricter enforcement measures against foreigners on the island. The statement, written in Hebrew, was shared yesterday, May 7, on the Facebook page Israel in Thailand. According to the post, authorities would strictly enforce local laws and regulations, with offenders…

  • 2 dogs eat gold necklace worth over 140K baht, prompting urgent surgery | Thaiger

    2 dogs eat gold necklace worth over 140K baht, prompting urgent surgery

    Two Pomeranians underwent surgery after swallowing parts of a gold necklace worth more than 140,000 baht, prompting their owner to warn other dog parents on social media. The incident was shared by 41 year old Natthaporn Rukkachart on his TikTok account, @pompomgang888, where he posted videos explaining what happened to his dogs. Natthaporn owns three dogs named Shabu, Yujin and…

  • Chinese driver crashes into Chon Buri roadwork barriers | Thaiger

    Chinese driver crashes into Chon Buri roadwork barriers

    A Chinese driver and two others were injured after a luxury car crashed into barriers at a road repair site and overturned on Highway 331 in Chon Buri late yesterday, May 7. Rescue workers from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation received reports of the crash at 11.40pm on the inbound side of Highway 331 toward Rayong. At the scene, emergency responders…

  • Phuket teenager praised for saving foreign man after roadside collapse | Thaiger

    Phuket teenager praised for saving foreign man after roadside collapse

    A Thai teenager was praised after performing CPR on a foreign man who collapsed on a road in Kathu district, Phuket, last night, May 7. Images and videos of the rescue were shared by several Thai news agencies and Facebook pages, showing the boy assisting the injured foreign man, who had a visible head wound and was lying motionless on…

  • Foreign woman dies after motorcycle hits van on Phuket road | Thaiger

    Foreign woman dies after motorcycle hits van on Phuket road

    A foreign woman died, and a man was seriously injured after a head-on motorcycle crash involving a van on Patak Road in Karon, Phuket, at around 8pm on Wednesday, May 6. Footage of the incident circulated on Thai social media yesterday, May 7. The crash occurred on a curve near the Holiday Inn hotel in Karon district. The video showed…

  • Nigerian, Belgian nationals arrested for cocaine sales in Phuket | Thaiger

    Nigerian, Belgian nationals arrested for cocaine sales in Phuket

    Two foreign men, from Nigeria and Belgium, were arrested in Phuket on May 7, after tourist police allegedly found cocaine during an operation targeting foreigners suspected of selling drugs in Patong. The suspects were identified as Samuel Egbujonuma Silas, a Nigerian national, and Bruno Trunfio, a Belgian national. Both were also found to have overstayed their visas. Egbujonuma Silas was…

  • Foreign family caught using children to steal from Phuket convenience store | Thaiger

    Foreign family caught using children to steal from Phuket convenience store

    A foreign family allegedly stole items from a convenience store in Patong, Phuket, on May 6, and challenged the staff to pursue legal action. The incident occurred at around 8pm, with video later posted by the Phuket Times Facebook page on May 7. The family’s nationality was reported as Israeli, but this has not been confirmed by police. CCTV footage…

  • Malaysian man possible blacklisted for damaging Hat Yai police wheel clamp | Thaiger

    Malaysian man possible blacklisted for damaging Hat Yai police wheel clamp

    A Malaysian man faces a 3,000 baht fine and possible blacklisting from Thailand after damaging a police wheel clamp in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, on May 4. A traffic police officer from Hat Yai Police Station had placed the clamp on a black Mercedes-Benz registered in Malaysia after it was parked in a prohibited area on Prachathipat Road. A traffic…

  • Thai man accuses fortune teller of sexual assault during ritual | Thaiger

    Thai man accuses fortune teller of sexual assault during ritual

    A businessman has accused a well-known fortune teller of sexual assault during a healing ritual, allegedly presented as a way to cure illness and resolve karma, with a complaint set to be filed with police today, May 7. The man, identified only as 32 year old Ae, went to the Bangkok office of Sai Mai Tong Rod, a social media…

  • British man allegedly goes on rampage, damaging motorcycles and shop sign in Phuket | Thaiger

    British man allegedly goes on rampage, damaging motorcycles and shop sign in Phuket

    A British man reportedly went on a rampage in Phuket, damaging motorcycles and a food shop sign with a knife, yesterday, May 6. Images and footage of the incident were shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page with a caption that read… “A British man went on a rampage in Phuket, brandishing a knife and shouting. It is believed that…

  • Chinese programmer caught in Bangkok over game company hack | Thaiger

    Chinese programmer caught in Bangkok over game company hack

    A Chinese programmer was arrested in Bangkok today, May 7, and is set to be deported after he was accused of hacking a major game company in China and causing damages worth about 9 million baht. The man, identified as 34 year old Wang, was detained at a building on Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok. Thai police and…

  • Singaporean woman arrested at Samui airport over nominee businesses | Thaiger

    Singaporean woman arrested at Samui airport over nominee businesses

    A Singaporean woman was arrested at Koh Samui International Airport in Surat Thani on May 4 for allegedly operating nominee businesses on the island. Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Surat Thani Immigration tracked down the suspect, identified only as Janis, before her scheduled flight. She was taken into custody at the airport and transferred to a…

  • EV locks itself during charging, traps one year old girl inside | Thaiger

    EV locks itself during charging, traps one year old girl inside

    A mother has warned EV drivers after her car locked itself while charging at a station in Kamphaeng Phet at 11pm, leaving her one year and six month old daughter alone inside before a locksmith helped open the car. The incident was shared online by a Facebook user as a warning to EV drivers who may leave their keys inside…

  • Thailand News | Tourist injured after risky Songthaew backflip in Pattaya, gear mistake leads to fire at Bangkok petrol station | Thaiger

    Thailand News | Tourist injured after risky Songthaew backflip in Pattaya, gear mistake leads to fire at Bangkok petrol station

    In the news today we’ve got some tourists in Pattaya engaging in both risky and lewd behavior in separate incidents, Prime Minister Anutin has ordered a crackdown on badly behaved tourists, it’s not all tourists behaving badly, though, as two Thai teen suspects have been arrested for robbing an aussie in Pattaya, speaking of Australia a large shipment of heroin…

  • Thai driver, Chinese nationals caught in Sa Kaeo after 70km chase | Thaiger

    Thai driver, Chinese nationals caught in Sa Kaeo after 70km chase

    A suspected smuggling operation was exposed in Sa Kaeo yesterday, May 6, after police arrested a Thai pickup driver following a 70-kilometre chase through Prachin Buri, Chachoengsao and Sa Kaeo, with six Chinese nationals found inside the vehicle. The pursuit began after highway police received a tip-off that Chinese nationals were being transported from the Sa Kaeo border to Bangkok.…

  • Thai couple arrested for stealing animals from 2 Bangkok zoos | Thaiger

    Thai couple arrested for stealing animals from 2 Bangkok zoos

    Two suspects were arrested at their accommodation in Don Mueang after stealing three animals from two zoos in Bangkok on May 1. Pata Zoo shared sketch images of the suspects, a man and a woman, on its official Facebook page yesterday, May 6, along with details of the incident and descriptions of the pair. The theft took place at around…

  • Airports of Thailand confirms higher international passenger fee from June 20 | Thaiger

    Airports of Thailand confirms higher international passenger fee from June 20

    Passenger service charge (PSC) for international departures are set to increase from 730 baht to 1,120 baht starting June 20, following approval from the Ministry of Transport of Thailand. Airports of Thailand (AOT) President Paweena Jariyathitipong announced yesterday, May 6, that the revised passenger service charge (PSC) had officially received approval after earlier plans were proposed in February. The PSC…

  • No mafia in Phuket, only foreign criminals | Thaiger

    No mafia in Phuket, only foreign criminals

    Phuket Provincial Police Commander confirms the province is free of mafia networks and ransom operations. Crypto extortion plots were orchestrated by foreign nationals attempting to strike and flee, but all were arrested. Authorities are actively cracking down on foreign nominees taking local jobs. Pol. Maj. Gen. Sinlert Sukhum, Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, gave an interview on May 6,…

  • Chinese tourist beaten to death inside unlicensed Pattaya pub | Thaiger

    Chinese tourist beaten to death inside unlicensed Pattaya pub

    A Chinese tourist died after being attacked inside an unlicensed entertainment venue in South Pattaya, following a fight that began during a snooker game late yesterday, May 6. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya rescue centre received a report of an assault at 11.06pm inside a venue in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Police from Pattaya City Police…

  • French students describe their Mirror Foundation internship as valuable experience | Thaiger

    French students describe their Mirror Foundation internship as valuable experience

    Two French university students shared their experiences working with the Mirror Foundation internship programme in Thailand, describing the placement as an opportunity to support underprivileged communities while learning about Thai culture and teamwork. The Mirror Foundation published the students’ experiences on its official Facebook page on Tuesday, May 5, as part of efforts to promote its internship programme and encourage more…

  • Pattaya teens arrested over stabbing, robbery of Australian tourist | Thaiger

    Pattaya teens arrested over stabbing, robbery of Australian tourist

    Two teenagers were arrested last night, May 5, in a Pattaya theft and assault case after an Australian tourist was allegedly stabbed with scissors and robbed of AU$6,000 (about 140,000 baht) in a room in South Pattaya. Pattaya police and Tourist Police arrested the two transgender suspects, aged 17 and 16, at 8.16pm. Officers seized scissors and an amount of…

  • Sisaket officials face criticism over error on sign at wildlife protected area | Thaiger

    Sisaket officials face criticism over error on sign at wildlife protected area

    An error on a sign in Sisaket drew attention online after a Thai woman highlighted incorrect English wording on an official sign at a wildlife protection area, which read “Hunting zone” instead of “Non-hunting zone”. Facebook user, Boonprakong Maxso, shared a video of the sign on May 2, criticising the translation used on the notice installed at an animal hunting…