News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
The Thaiger is your essential resource for staying connected with Thailand’s captivating blend of tradition and modernity. To remain in the loop with the country’s most trusted news source, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
-
Sponsored 5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
-
Just one interview – Mu Pa 13 face the media tonight
The 13 members of the Mu Pa Football Academy, now recovered after their rescue from the Tham Luang caves last week, will sit down for a tightly-controlled media conference this evening. “After the media conference, which will also be their last, they will return to their homes and try to live a normal life”, said the new Chiang Rai provincial…
-
“Phoenix might have reduced safety standards to save costs” – Surachate Hakparn
In the ongoing investigation into the sinking of ‘Phoenix’, it’s emerged that the boat may have cut back on safety equipment in efforts to save costs. We now know that the ‘Phoenix’ is owned by TC Blue Dream, with 26 year old Thai Woralak Rerkchaikan as its biggest shareholder. She is now in detention after Phuket Provincial Court denied her bail…
-
Search for a jet-ski operator missing off Ao Po
A staff member of a jet ski business has disappeared after he was hit by a wave near Koh Naka in Pa Khlok at 3pm yesterday (July 17) while a search continues today (July 19). The Thalang Police were notified that the staff member was hit by a wave while riding on a jet-ski between Koh Naka Yai and Koh…
-
Fisherman washed off rocks near Kata found floating near Cape Promthep
The body of a man who was washed off rocks by a wave while fishing at Kata Viewpoint yesterday (July 16) has been found floating near Cape Promthep today (July 17) Rawai’s Mayor Aroon Solos was notified by locals that a body was found floating near Promthep Cape in Rawai. Officers from Rawai Municipality headed to the area on a…
-
Phuket boat accident “marginally affects tourism” – Tourism Minister
PHOTO: Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat walking with British cave diver Charles Harper last week Quoting the National News Bureau of Thailand… “The Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat, admitted that the tour boat that capsized off the coast of Phuket province on July 5, resulting in the deaths of 47 Chinese tourists, has caused some people to cancel their…
-
Ranong: Nine Pakistanis arrested for overstay on their way to Ranong
Ranong remains a popular visa run location for expats and tourists, a five hour drive north of Phuket. A 30 minute trip across the water to Myanmar and, bingo, new visa stamp. But Daily News is reporting that nine Pakistani nationals have been arrested in Ranong when trying a visa run last week. None of the men told Daily News…
-
Pattaya foreigners claim damage caused by next door condo construction
A group of European residents bought houses in Pattaya only for a an unexpected large condominium complex to be built next door. They say they’ve suffered damage to their houses in the construction phase and now claim they can’t even rent out their properties due to the noise. Complaints to the local authority and the police have fallen on deaf ears…
-
Rain forecast this week, just about everywhere
Northern and north-eastern parts of Thailand will get lots of rain this week with isolated heavy rain forecast for the North, the Northeast, the Central, the East and west coast of the South, including Phuket. This is today’s news out of the TMD (Thai Meteorological Department). They say there is a monsoonal trough lying across Myanmar, the upper North of Thailand…
-
French tourist says money stolen on Bangkok-Koh Phangan bus
PHOTO: Bangkok-Koh Phangan bus A 23 year old French woman has filed an official complaint with the Surat Thani police. She claims that 350 euros in cash were stolen from her bag aboard a bus from Bangkok to Koh Phangan (part of the journey is a ferry trip to the island). ‘Nadia’ filed the complaint at the Muang Surat Thani…
-
Court refused bail for ‘Phoenix’ owner and chief engineer
The ‘Phoenix’ boat captain, chief engineer and boat owner are now in custody at the Phuket Provincial Prison. The Thai ‘owner’ of ‘Phoenix’ remains in custody after she surrendered following the issuing of an arrest warrant over the weekend. Read more HERE. The Chalong Police have already pressed charges of a reckless act causing death, serious injuries, mental and bodily harm…
-
-
Death sentence handed down on southern insurgent
File photo Thai PBS is reporting that a Muslim militant has been sentenced to death for his involvement in three violent incidents. The incidents took place around Pattani province where seven people were killed and eight others injured. Speaking to the media yesterday, Col Thanawee Suwannarat, from the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command, identified the militant as Ibrohem Sungaibaru. In…
-
Patients should find blood pressure medication before ditching recalled drug
About 20,000 people with blood-pressure problems in Thailand rely on the five drugs that the FDA intends to recall over the next two weeks. On the recall list are Valatan 80 drug registration No 1A/54 (NG); Valatan 160 drug registration No 1A 10/54; Valsarin 80 drug registration No 1A 4/60; Valsarin 160 drug registration No 1A 5/60; and Valsarin 320…
-
Body of missing fisherman found, following July 5 Phuket storm
The body of a Rawai fisherman was found yesterday (July 16) near Koh Racha. Two local fishermen from Rawai have been missing since heading out fishing on Thursday (July 5), the same day of the boat disaster when two tour boats sank and 47 Chinese tourists drowned, including 16 children. The Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command (NAC3) officers were…
-
Phuket man arrested with 20,000 methamphetamine pills
A man has been arrested with methamphetamine pills, crystal methamphetamine, a gun and ammunition. A team of the Border Patrol Police last week arrested 22 year old Tanaset ‘Fluk’ Kraimaneelert at a housing estate in Rassada. Police seized 1.06 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 20,000 methamphetamine pills, a gun and 21 bullets. Tanaset was taken to the Phuket City Police Station and…
-
Every Phuket tour boat is being checked
Deputy Commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, Maj Gen Surachet Hakparn, with the help of the Marine Department, are checking about 400 tour boats in Phuket. Any boat found not fully compliant to leave port with all its safety equipment in working order, will remain at port. Maj Gen Surachet says, “All about 300 to 400 tour boats in Phuket are…
-
Thailand says “thank you”
The Thai Government is thanking the world for the international efforts to rescue the Mu Pa football team and their coach after being trapped in the Tham Luang caves. The show of gratitude is a 30-second TV spot which started airing on CNN International over the weekend. It starts with the smartphone video of the young survivors the moment they…
-
Unhinged Elon Musk calls cave rescuer a ‘pedo’
A bizarre tirade of Twitter posts from Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk over the weekend has angered netizens. The genius CEO behind several of America’s most high-profile tech companies Tweeted to his 22 million social media followers on Sunday an unfounded and disparaging claim about an expert caver who criticized a miniature submarine he made. According to CNN, Musk called…
-
Chumpon: Policeman shot dead by pick-up driver
The Nation is reporting that a policeman was shot dead in Chumphon province last night after the driver of the car he was in apparently angered a truck driver by cutting in front of him. The shooting occurred at about 11.30pm at the Pathomporn Intersection in Muang district. Police Cpl Phayungsak Maidee, from the province’s narcotics suppression subdivision, was shot…
-
Pattaya condo fire causes 500,000 baht in damages
PHOTO: Niran condos, Pattaya – HipFlat.com Sanook is reporting that 27 year old Satchada says she nearly fainted when she rushed home to find her condo ablaze in Pattaya. She says she headed to work at 9pm on Saturday night. When she was told of the fire at Niran Condo in Central Pattaya she rushed home. The fire was centered around…
-
Chiang Mai: Spanish man arrested in Lampang over UK cocaine bust
Heavily armed drug suppression police have arrested a 36 year old Spanish citizen at a noodle shop in Lampang in northern Thailand at the weekend. A warrant for the arrest of Spaniard Francesco Jesus Gutierrez Marcos was issued in Thailand last Friday following representation from UK authorities and an official extradition request. Marcos is alleged to be a member of…
-
“Leave the kids alone” – Child psychiatrist
(4 minute read) The global attention drawn to the dramatic rescue mission has shone a glaring spotlight on the 12 young footballers from the Mu Pa Academy, making them unwitting public figures. Psychiatrists are stressing that the boys should draw on their own personal strength and support from their families to avoid becoming tainted by fame. Child psychiatrists are advising…
-
Last body from the Phuket boat disaster recovered
Last night (July 15) divers recovered the final body from ‘Phoenix’. The body had been wedged under the boat. The body was brought back to the Phuket Deep Sea Port before transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital. The body arrived at the port at 8:50pm. Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian, the Chinese Consul-General in Songkhla Zhou Haicheng and Phuket Governor Norraphat…
-
Pavilions Hotels & Resorts announce two important acquisitions
The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts has made two important appointments as it continues to expand its portfolio and strengthen its management team. Scot Toon takes on a new role as the company’s Managing Director, Asia while Tim Sargeant becomes the Director of Marketing for The Pavilions Phuket. Both are highly skilled and experienced hospitality professionals who join The Pavilions Hotels…
-
Chiang Rai: Mu Pa team pay tribute to Saman Kunan
The Mu Pa Football players trapped in the Tham Luang Caves for almost three weeks paid tribute to the Navy SEAL who lost his life during the rescue operation. Wiping away tears, the boys wrote messages of thanks on a portrait of the former Navy SEAL Saman Kunan, who died July 6 during an operation to deliver oxygen tanks to…
-
Multihull Solutions Regatta wraps up with ‘Fugazi’ claiming top honours
The 10th annual Multihull Solutions Regatta wrapped up today with another good day of sailing. Principal Race Officer Simon James ran two races today, a three-lap windward-leeward and then a triangle course for all classes except Cruising, which did a loop around nearby Koh Lon. Dan Fidock’s trimaran Fugazi claimed the Racing Multihull division winning six of the eight races…
-
Chiang Rai: “I thought it would be a recovery rather than a rescue”
PHOTO: Perth vet and craig diver Craig Challen An Australian diver from Perth, Craig Challen, has spoken exclusively about the Tham Luang cave rescue and why he had fears that some or all of them mightn’t get out of the caves alive. Here are some of the main points from The Sunday Times interview: • When Craig arrived in Thailand he thought…
-
Government set to ban trans fats
The Public Health Ministry is poised to ban the production, import and distribution of food containing trans fat. Trans fat, also called trans-unsaturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids, are a type of unsaturated fat that occur in small amounts in nature but became widely produced industrially from vegetable fats starting in the 1950s for use in margarine, snack food,…
-
Four cavers are stateless – “won’t get any special treatment”
“I understand that society hopes the rescued boys get citizenship. But we have to comply with the law,” Mae Sai district chief Somsak Khanakham said. The chief says that Thai citizenship shall be granted based on the law and there will be no exemptions, even for four of the footballers rescued from the cave. He spoke after news reports said…
-
Trang shipping container retrieval will resume tomorrow
The Trang Harbour Office says the operation to retrieve 16 containers that fell off a cargo ship in the sea off Trang province would resume again tomorrow (Monday). Commander Chatkul Wanitchanat, director of the Trang Harbour Office, says the operator of the MV.NP Love Gistic 2 ship could not find a crane on the barge to pull the containers out…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.