Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
-
Sponsored What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
-
Thai Airways recycles Virgin lie-flats as posh economy beds
Thai Airways has launched lie-flat seats as a premium economy option on select regional routes, repurposing business class seats from Virgin Atlantic. The unusual move offers passengers lie-flat comfort without the business-class price tag, advancing the growing trend of “unbundled” premium travel. The new class has debuted on routes from Bangkok to Chennai, Dhaka, Hyderabad, Jakarta, and Kathmandu. Rather than…
-
Brit jailed over 19m baht Thailand cannabis run at Dublin airport
A British man was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Dublin after admitting to importing nearly 500,000 euros (approximately 19 million baht) worth of cannabis from Thailand, destined for sale in Ireland. The man, 22 year old Jamie Kearns from Arley in Coventry, was stopped by customs officers at Terminal One in Dublin Airport while arriving…
-
Thailand retailers wage all-out war for 11.11 shopping surge
Major retailers in Thailand are ramping up 11.11 campaigns with omnichannel strategies to boost year-end consumer spending and reclaim lost sales. As the final quarter of the year kicks into gear, November has become a high-stakes battleground for Thailand’s leading retailers. With consumer spending still lagging, major department stores and specialty chains are pushing their 11.11 campaigns to new heights,…
-
Ang Thong reels as worst flood in decades hits homes and hospital (video)
Flooding in Ang Thong province has reached a critical level, with rising waters from the Chao Phraya River breaching barriers and inundating key areas including Pa Mok Market and local municipalities. Officials are scrambling to contain the damage by reinforcing embankments with clay in multiple locations. In Pa Mok Market, water levels have surged by up to 50 centimetres, forcing…
-
Thailand’s tourism tax stalled again despite 11 billion baht potential
Thailand’s plan to introduce a tourist tax for foreign visitors remains stalled due to political delays, despite full readiness and strong industry backing. Initially backed by the National Tourism Policy Committee in February 2023, the fee would charge inbound travellers 300 baht by air or 150 baht by land or sea, applying only to overnight visitors. Despite its potential to…
-
UK lifts travel warning as Trat tourism gears up for rebound
The United Kingdom has officially lifted its travel advisory against non-essential travel to Trat, a move welcomed by local tourism operators hoping to revive bookings ahead of peak season. Wichit Sukrasuyanon, president of the Trat Tourism Association, confirmed that the change has already led to a noticeable boost in bookings, especially from European markets. He said average hotel occupancy rates…
-
People’s Party faces axe over student aide salary scandal
The Klatham Party is preparing to file a petition with the Election Commission (EC) seeking the dissolution of the People’s Party (PP), following explosive allegations involving the misuse of parliamentary appointments and salaries. Klatham MP for Kamphaeng Phet, Phai Lik, announced his intention to take the matter to the EC, claiming that the PP appointed a Grade 10 student as…
-
Pattaya preps for 5 billion baht Tomorrowland 2026 fest
Officials in Pattaya are preparing for a massive music festival set to attract thousands of visitors and inject 5 billion baht into the local economy. Bang Lamung district is already laying the groundwork for Tomorrowland 2026, the first Southeast Asian edition of the iconic Belgian music festival, with a high-level strategy meeting chaired by District Chief Patcharaphat Srithanyanon. The festival…
-
Teen lured and beaten in Pattaya alley after online setup
A teenage boy was brutally attacked in a dark Pattaya alley after being tricked into a meeting by a mystery woman he met online, despite warnings from his mother. A 17 year old boy is recovering in hospital after being ambushed and severely beaten in a dimly lit alley in Pattaya. The incident occurred around 9pm on Thursday, November 6,…
-
Bang Saen Beach turns black, vendors fear tourist drop
Seawater at a popular beach in eastern Thailand turned black, raising concerns among visitors and vendors about health risks and a drop in tourism. Seawater along Bang Saen Beach in Chon Buri has taken on a strange black hue, believed to be caused by a plankton bloom triggered by recent storms and rainfall. While there’s no unpleasant odour or danger…
-
School bus overturns in northern Thailand, students injured
A double-decker bus carrying students on a school trip in northern Thailand overturned on a highway, injuring several and prompting a police investigation. The bus, carrying dozens of secondary school students from Uttaradit, flipped onto its side on the Phitsanulok–Nakhon Sawan Road around 10am yesterday, November 7. The crash occurred in Banphot Phisai district, Phitsanulok province, and left multiple students…
-
Power outages to hit 33 areas across Greater Bangkok today
Power will be cut in dozens of areas across Bangkok and nearby provinces as electricity officials carry out scheduled maintenance to improve the grid. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) has announced a planned power outage today, November 8, affecting 33 locations across Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Nonthaburi. The temporary cut-off is part of routine upgrades to boost the efficiency and…
-
Thai charter reform at risk as border tensions take focus
Experts have warned that Thai voters may reject charter reform when they head to the polls, as rising nationalist sentiment shifts focus to border disputes. Yesterday, November 6, academics and political observers sounded the alarm that the junta-era charter is likely to survive another public vote, as attention shifts from constitutional reform to the more emotionally charged issue of revoking…
-
Thai man saves 5 year old girl from drowning and uncovers family abuse
A Thai man rescued a five year old girl and her older sister, who were allegedly abused and forced to work by their guardians. One of the girls nearly drowned in a canal in Bangkok while attempting to collect money from krathongs during the Loy Krathong festival. An owner of a motorcycle shop in the Bang Mod area of Bangkok…
-
Boyfriend vanishes after woman found dead in Bangkok room
A young woman was found dead at a rented home in Bangkok after police were alerted to the scene, prompting an investigation into the cause and circumstances. The discovery was made around 7.45pm yesterday, November 6, when Police Lieutenant Kirati Thinachai from Samsen Police Station was alerted to a possible suicide in a small community behind Wat Devaraj Kunchorn Temple.…
-
Thailand adds extra day to new year break to boost travel
The Thai Cabinet has approved an extended new year holiday to boost domestic tourism and economic activity, adding one more day to the annual break. The government has approved an extended five-day new year holiday for 2026, declaring Friday, January 2, a special public holiday to boost tourism and spending. The full holiday period will now run from Wednesday, December…
-
Foreign tourist arrested with loaded ammo at Phuket airport
An Israeli tourist was arrested at a Phuket airport when police discovered a loaded ammunition magazine in his checked luggage during a routine scan. The arrest took place at around 4.30pm yesterday, November 6, after security staff at the airport’s domestic terminal flagged a suspicious item during a routine baggage scan. The 26 year old traveller, who had flown in…
-
Nigerian man, 5 Thais arrested for 114m baht online romance scam
Police have dismantled a major romance scam network run by a Nigerian national and five Thai accomplices, accused of swindling victims out of over 114 million baht. The arrests were made during Operation Romance 114, led by officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), targeting suspects across Bangkok and Chon Buri. Police Major General Chanannat Sarathwanphaet, TCSD Commander, confirmed…
-
Thai woman poses as handsome man to scam friend out of 20,000 baht
A Thai woman posed as an attractive man to carry out a romance scam and swindle 20,000 baht from her friend. Police allegedly rejected the victim’s complaint, claiming the money was given willingly out of affection. The victim, 34 year old Ploy, turned to the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after police allegedly refused to process her case. She later revealed…
-
Thai foreign ministry clarifies girl trafficking case in Tokyo
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the case of a young Thai girl who was trafficked to Japan, which came to light when Tokyo police raided a Japanese-owned massage parlour following a report about the victim’s circumstances. Nikorndej Plangkura, Director-General of the Department of Information and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, revealed that the incident occurred in mid-September.…
-
Thai man left blind after surgery at private hospital in Samut Sakhon
A Thai woman condemned a private hospital in the central province of Samut Sakhon after treatment for nasal polyps left her boyfriend blind. The woman, identified only as Ploy, took to an online community to share details of the medical mishap. She included photos showing her boyfriend’s eye and nose injuries, which she said resulted from surgery to remove nasal…
-
Shooting breaks out between Bangkok rescue teams, leaving 3 injured
Three rescue workers were injured in a shooting early yesterday, November 6, following a dispute between two rescue foundations on Lat Phrao Road in Bangkok. Wang Thonglang Police Station was alerted to the incident involving rescue volunteers near the entrance of Soi Lat Phrao 122 in Wang Thonglang district at around 1am. At the scene, officers found bloodstains on the…
-
Singapore names orchid after Thai PM Anutin and his wife
During an official visit to Singapore, Thailand’s prime minister and his wife were honoured with a new orchid species named in recognition of their visit. Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his wife were honoured with a floral tribute during an official visit to Singapore, as a newly cultivated orchid species was named Vanchoanthe Anutin Thananon Charnvirakul. The gesture came…
-
PM Anutin storms off after question on scandal-hit deputy
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul abruptly ended a press interview after reporters asked whether he would remove Deputy Prime Minister Thammanat Prompao and alleged links to online scam networks. The incident unfolded following Anutin’s appearance at a high-profile ceremony aimed at launching a united crackdown on cybercrime, where six ministries and nine state and private agencies signed a memorandum of…
-
Thailand video news | Typhoon lashes coast as Thailand braces for flooding risk, Thailand to slap import duties on all low‑value online goods
In Thailand video news, Jay covers news stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. The stories include a powerful typhoon edges closer to Thailand as the country braces for potential floods, while another deadly storm leaves devastation across the Philippines before hitting Vietnam. Bangkok clears nearly 400,000 krathongs after a calmer Loy Krathong night, the government prepares to tax all…
-
Thai police chief hits back at claims RTP is crime syndicate
Thailand’s police chief has defended the force after facing accusations from outside critics who claimed it operates as a large-scale criminal organisation. Police General Kittirat Panphet, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), has fiercely defended his organisation against allegations that it operates as a “large-scale criminal organisation.” Speaking yesterday, November 6, Big Tai, as he’s widely known, addressed the…
-
Thai man found dead hanging from electric pole in Chon Buri
A Thai man reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a roadside electric pole in Samet sub-district, Chon Buri. His motives currently remain under investigation. Officers from Samet Police Station, together with rescuers from the Trikunatham Foundation, investigated the death of the 48 year old Thai man in the Sajja Suan Luang community at around 5am today, November 5, following…
-
UK mum’s Thailand trip ruined over son’s passport sticker mark
A British mum claims her family was barred from flying to Thailand after airline staff said a faint sticker mark had damaged her son’s passport. Meghan Law, a 33 year old NHS nurse from Aberdeen, was due to fly from Edinburgh to Phuket with her two children on October 8 for a two-week, £3,000 (approximately 133,000 Thai baht) family getaway…
-
‘Big Joke’ exposes 30 cops in online gambling payout scandal
A former senior police officer testified before a House panel, accusing dozens of fellow officers of taking payments from illegal online gambling networks. Former deputy national police chief Police General Surachate Hakparn, better known as “Big Joke,” has accused more than 30 police officers of receiving payments from illegal online gambling networks, handing over what he called “evidence” to a…
-
Vietjet goes green with SAF as jet delivery hits more delays
A budget airline has begun using sustainable aviation fuel on select routes while facing delays in new aircraft deliveries due to external disruptions. Vietjet Thailand has kicked off its first flights using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), becoming the latest low-cost carrier to go green while grappling with delayed aircraft deliveries. The airline launched SAF-powered operations on its…
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.