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.

  • Former F1 driver Mika Salo stabbed in Bangkok, requires 28 stitches | Thaiger

    Former F1 driver Mika Salo stabbed in Bangkok, requires 28 stitches

    Finnish former Formula 1 driver Mika Salo, 59, was hospitalised in Bangkok this week after being slashed in the leg by a passing moped rider as he crossed a pedestrian crossing , in what local doctors believe was a deliberate knife attack. Speaking to Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Salo said the incident occurred on Tuesday evening near his hotel. A moped…

  • ้Chinese-directed Tasteful Thailand documentary wins Gold at Telly Awards | Thaiger

    ้Chinese-directed Tasteful Thailand documentary wins Gold at Telly Awards

    The food documentary Tasteful Thailand, directed by Chinese producer and filmmaker Chen Xiaoqing, won a Gold award at this year’s Telly Awards. The Telly Awards, held for the 47th time this year, received more than 14,000 entries reviewed by the Telly Awards Judging Council. The competition recognises productions across multiple formats, including television, YouTube, social media, animation, vertical video and…

  • 251 live wild animals found hidden in Malaysian man’s suitcase | Thaiger

    251 live wild animals found hidden in Malaysian man’s suitcase

    Thai authorities arrested a Malaysian national at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday, May 24, after attempting to smuggle hundreds of live wild animals out of Thailand. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) Director Attapon Charoenchansa announced details of the operation, describing it as part of intensified inspections targeting international wildlife trafficking networks using Thailand as a transit route.…

  • Danish jogger injured by falling tree branch on Rayong Beach | Thaiger

    Danish jogger injured by falling tree branch on Rayong Beach

    A Danish tourist was injured while jogging along a beach in Rayong after a falling pine branch pierced his leg on Saturday, May 23. The incident occurred at roughly 3.30pm on the walkway beside Phala Beach in Ban Chang district. The area is lined with pine trees, some of which appear to be dead or deteriorated. The victim, identified as…

  • Foreigners pose with Phuket sea turtle, raising online debate | Thaiger

    Foreigners pose with Phuket sea turtle, raising online debate

    Authorities are investigating the identities of foreign tourists seen in a viral video handling a sea turtle near Cape Panwa in Phuket, raising concerns over possible harm to protected marine wildlife. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared footage on Saturday, May 23, showing several foreign tourists taking turns holding a sea turtle while posing for photographs and videos. In the…

  • Thailand video news | Facebook livestream scandal spreads across Thailand, Intoxicated monk defrocked after disturbance in Udon Thani | Thaiger

    Thailand video news | Facebook livestream scandal spreads across Thailand, Intoxicated monk defrocked after disturbance in Udon Thani

    In Thailand video news, Jay covers news stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. The stories include Thailand being rocked by a viral Facebook sex livestream scandal under police investigation, an intoxicated monk being defrocked after causing chaos in Udon Thani, and a deadly train and bus collision that leaves eight dead and raises serious safety concerns. Meanwhile, China pushes…

  • Brit arrested for hit-and-run in Koh Pha Ngan, victim in coma | Thaiger

    Brit arrested for hit-and-run in Koh Pha Ngan, victim in coma

    Police arrested a British motorcyclist for a hit-and-run incident on Koh Pha Ngan on Saturday, May 23, that left a Thai doctor in a coma. Colleagues of the injured doctor, Theerasuk “Ton” Kawamatawong, contacted several media outlets seeking justice after the crash, which occurred at about 8.40pm on a road behind the Koh Pha Ngan District Office. CCTV footage shared…

  • Govt department seen on Facebook sex livestream, issues explaination | Thaiger

    Govt department seen on Facebook sex livestream, issues explaination

    Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) issued a clarification after its official Facebook page was seen appearing in the viewer list of a viral sex livestream circulated online on Saturday, May 23. The explicit livestream attracted widespread attention on Thai social media over the weekend, with users sharing screenshots showing several verified pages and celebrity accounts appearing among the viewers.…

  • Thai soft power push marks 170 years of Thailand-France ties | Thaiger

    Thai soft power push marks 170 years of Thailand-France ties

    Thailand is looking to France for lessons in turning culture into global influence, as Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised led talks on May 22 to mark 170 years of Thailand-France diplomatic ties and push Thai soft power through five areas of cooperation. At 5.30pm local time, Sabeeda and senior Ministry of Culture executives met French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard during an…

  • Viral Facebook sex livestream scandal spreads across Thai social media | Thaiger

    Viral Facebook sex livestream scandal spreads across Thai social media

    Thai cyber police are investigating Facebook sex livestreams showing uncensored sexual intercourse after the broadcasts circulated widely last night, May 23, prompting responses from users and public pages, including the Department of Disease Control (DDC). Several anonymous Facebook pages reportedly shared sexually explicit livestreams at around the same time, reportedly leading many users to click into the broadcasts out of…

  • Chiang Mai karaoke bar raided, 12 illegal workers detained | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai karaoke bar raided, 12 illegal workers detained

    Chiang Mai police raided a covert karaoke bar in the city centre on May 23 after residents complained about noise, detaining 12 Myanmar nationals found working without properly registered employers. The operation was led by Police Major General Olan Iampraphat of Tourist Police Division 2 and Police Colonel Phisanu Triamdee, with Police Lieutenant Colonel Avirut Sookyaem conducting the inspection alongside…

  • Turkish man found dead after swallowing drug capsules to avoid detection | Thaiger

    Turkish man found dead after swallowing drug capsules to avoid detection

    A Turkish man was found dead in a hotel room in Samut Prakan yesterday, May 23, after allegedly swallowing more than 50 capsules suspected to contain illegal drugs to avoid detection. Police and Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteers were called to the hotel in Racha Thewa subdistrict, Bang Phli district, after receiving reports of a foreign man found dead inside a room.…

  • Udon Thani monk defrocked after drunk bar run | Thaiger

    Udon Thani monk defrocked after drunk bar run

    A monk caused a public disturbance in Udon Thani on May 23 after being found heavily intoxicated and trying to enter a sukiyaki restaurant, then a bar, before being stripped of his robes that evening. Police Lieutenant Colonel Sata Porn Sawatdee of the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station received a report of a monk behaving disruptively near a buffet restaurant…

  • Chiang Mai police arrest 19 year old illegal loan tout for fourth time | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai police arrest 19 year old illegal loan tout for fourth time

    Chiang Mai police have arrested a 19 year old man linked to the ‘Instant Cash’ illegal loan network for the fourth time in a year, after residents complained about loan flyers flooding their neighbourhood. The suspect, Pakin, was apprehended on May 23 on a road in the Chomphu village area of Saraphi district, Chiang Mai. The operation was led by…

  • Gun videos lead police to Indian man with drugs on Koh Pha Ngan | Thaiger

    Gun videos lead police to Indian man with drugs on Koh Pha Ngan

    Police arrested an Indian man on Koh Pha Ngan yesterday, May 23, after videos showed a foreigner posing with guns and practising shooting, with officers later finding drugs and drug price lists on his phone. The suspect, identified as 33 year old Shabeelkunnon Valappil, was arrested at a residence in Koh Pha Ngan district, Surat Thani. Police charged him with…

  • School van driver fined 2000 baht for railway crossing violation | Thaiger

    School van driver fined 2000 baht for railway crossing violation

    A school van driver handed himself over to Lop Buri police after footage emerged showing his vehicle crossing railway tracks as a train approached. The driver, 55 year old Sangwan, said it was his first day on the route and he was unfamiliar with the area. The incident occurred on May 23, when the school van, driven by 55 year…

  • Ancient Khmer fortune teller arrested for 1.7 million baht ritual scam | Thaiger

    Ancient Khmer fortune teller arrested for 1.7 million baht ritual scam

    A 65 year old ancient Khmer fortune teller has been arrested in Na Jomtien for allegedly defrauding a woman out of more than 1.7 million baht through ritual services, with additional allegations of sexual assault. The incidents reportedly took place between January and April. Police Colonel Pisit Tangsirisatien, accompanied by deputy investigation chief Pol. Lt. Col. Adisorn Kongkoi and an investigative…

  • Chinese suspect Mingchen linked to 815 million baht crime losses | Thaiger

    Chinese suspect Mingchen linked to 815 million baht crime losses

    Police have expanded their investigation into Chinese weapon suspect Sun Mingchen after finding alleged links to a Cambodia-based crime network and more than 815 million baht in losses. Royal Thai Police spokesperson Trairong Phiwpan said yesterday, May 21, that the case had been divided into seven areas, covering weapons, explosives, immigration offences, customs offences, transnational crime, and money laundering through…

  • Phuket and Pattaya back 30-day visa-free stays to boost tourism | Thaiger

    Phuket and Pattaya back 30-day visa-free stays to boost tourism

    Tourism businesses in Phuket and Pattaya have backed the government’s decision to reinstate 30-day visa-free stays, saying the move will deter illegal operations and attract long-stay tourists. The Department of Consular Affairs, under the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the policy shift is part of a broader restructuring of Thailand’s visa system to cut confusion, tighten immigration controls, and align stays…

  • Thai economy threatened by migrant worker shortage amid rising costs | Thaiger

    Thai economy threatened by migrant worker shortage amid rising costs

    Thailand’s government faces growing pressure to tackle a migrant worker shortage that is compounding economic difficulties driven by high energy costs and threatening key industries, a business group warned on Friday. The Thai Chamber of Commerce called on the government to speed up work permit renewals, particularly for Cambodian workers, to prevent them losing their legal status. The move is…

  • 673 unsafe crossings highlighted after Thailand train accident | Thaiger

    673 unsafe crossings highlighted after Thailand train accident

    The train-bus crash at the Makkasan railway crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road on May 16, which killed eight people and injured 32 others continue to put Thailand’s rail safety standards into question, as level crossings pose a risk nationwide. Police investigations point to several contributing factors. The train driver was found to be impaired by cannabis and methamphetamine and did…

  • Thai weather warning: heavy rain and flash floods in 36 provinces | Thaiger

    Thai weather warning: heavy rain and flash floods in 36 provinces

    The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning for 36 provinces today, cautioning residents of heavy rainfall affecting 60% of areas, including Bangkok and its vicinity. Flash floods and forest runoff are the main concerns. The warnings are driven by a moderate southwest monsoon covering the upper Andaman Sea and Thailand, combined with southern and southeastern winds drawing moisture…

  • Russian tour guide arrested for working without licence | Thaiger

    Russian tour guide arrested for working without licence

    Tourist police in Phang Nga arrested a Russian national yesterday, May 21, for working illegally as a tour guide while accompanying a group of foreign tourists. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was arrested at the car park of the Phang Nga Wildlife Breeding Station after officials earlier observed him guiding tourists at Suwan Kuha Temple. According to…

  • Phuket locals demand investigation into foreign woman in police uniform | Thaiger

    Phuket locals demand investigation into foreign woman in police uniform

    Residents in Phuket are calling for an investigation after a foreign woman shared photos and videos online showing herself wearing clothing resembling a Thai police uniform. The Phuket Times Facebook page posted images of the woman yesterday, May 21. In the photos, she appeared wearing a black vest featuring a Thai flag and a Royal Thai Police patch. She was…

  • Thai student injured in attempted robbery at train station in Sydney | Thaiger

    Thai student injured in attempted robbery at train station in Sydney

    A Thai student suffered a head injury in an attack by a man who reportedly attempted to steal musical equipment at a train station in Sydney, Australia, on May 17. A Thai music teacher identified only as Luck shared details of the incident with a Facebook page operated by a Thai resident in Australia. The story was later reposted by…

  • AirAsia CEO warns airport fee hike could be ‘disaster’ for Thai tourism | Thaiger

    AirAsia CEO warns airport fee hike could be ‘disaster’ for Thai tourism

    AirAsia founder and CEO Tony Fernandes has opposed Airports of Thailand’s (AOT) proposed increase to the international passenger service charge (PSC), warning that higher airport fees could damage Thailand’s tourism industry during a difficult period for global aviation. Fernandes, chief executive officer of Capital A, said the timing was inappropriate as airlines worldwide continue to face pressure from rising fuel…

  • Ex-politician linked to gambling den in Samut Prakan abandoned hotel | Thaiger

    Ex-politician linked to gambling den in Samut Prakan abandoned hotel

    Authorities raided an illegal gambling operation inside an abandoned hotel in Samut Prakan last night, May 21, and discovered more than 43 million baht circulating through the bank account of the alleged owner, a former local politician. Officers from the Department of Provincial Administration and the Territorial Defence Volunteers Administration Bureau conducted the raid at about 8pm on the fourth floor of the Chalermwong…

  • Thailand halts new Volvo EV registrations after battery defect | Thaiger

    Thailand halts new Volvo EV registrations after battery defect

    New registrations of the Volvo EX30 in Thailand have been suspended after the Department of Land Transport found that a recent fire involving the electric vehicle was linked to a defect in its high-voltage battery cells. The order was issued after Siripong Angkasakulkiat, deputy transport minister, instructed the Department of Land Transport to investigate the case. Thitiphat Thaijongrak, director of…

  • School van driver ignores barriers, stops on tracks as train approaches | Thaiger

    School van driver ignores barriers, stops on tracks as train approaches

    A video shared on Facebook yesterday, May 21, shows a school van avoiding a collision with a train after the driver crossed while barriers were lowering, then stopped on the railway tracks. Facebook user สุรเสียง พลับพลาสวรรค์ posted a video of the incident showing a school van attempting to cross a railway crossing while warning alarms were sounding and barriers were…

  • Thailand News | Pattaya hotel fire leaves guests trapped as rescue teams respond, Mentally unwell British tourist accidentally sets himself on fire while playing a children’s game | Thaiger

    Thailand News | Pattaya hotel fire leaves guests trapped as rescue teams respond, Mentally unwell British tourist accidentally sets himself on fire while playing a children’s game

    Today we’ll be talking about a hotel fire in Pattaya that left guests trapped as rescue teams responded, also, there’s been a royal update on the health condition of Princess Bajrakitiyabha, then we’ have our badly behaving foreigners in the form of Chinese brothel operators, British reckless drivers, and nightmare Swiss tenants, in ASEAN News, Philippines authorities have vowed to…