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.
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American FBI suspect detained in Chiang Mai over US warrant
An American suspect was detained in Chiang Mai yesterday, May 12, after Thai police received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that he was wanted in the United States for assault and stalking. The American, identified as 58 year old Joseph Frances Chinnock, also known as Joseph Kelly, was wanted on a US arrest warrant. The FBI reportedly…
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Thai neighbours seeks help for Burmese girl abused by mother
Thai residents in Chachoengsao sought help for a 13 year old Burmese girl after alleging she had been repeatedly abused by her mother at their home. The case came to public attention after neighbours contacted social media influencer Chalida “Ton Or” Palamart to assist the girl, identified as Namwhan. Officials from the Chachoengsao Provincial Shelter for Children and Family accompanied…
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Royal Thai garments take centre stage at Paris exhibition
A Royal Thai dress exhibition has opened in Paris under the patronage of Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, presenting royal garments, Thai textiles and contemporary designs at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. The exhibition, La Mode en Majesté: Royal Thai Dress From Tradition to Modernity, opened today, May 13, and will run until November 1, 2026, in Paris, France. It is…
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Man drugged and robbed of 85,000 baht camera by buyer
A Thai man issued a public warning after allegedly being drugged with spiked orange juice after meeting up with a buyer for his camera at a university in Bangkok, resulting in the theft of photography equipment worth 85,000 baht. The victim shared details of the incident in a Facebook group for photography enthusiasts and said he had already filed a…
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Singha heir releases voice recording as evidence of sexual abuse by brother
A renowned environmentalist and heir of the Singha beer brand released a voice recording as evidence today, May 13, in response to a denial issued by his older brother over allegations of sexual abuse during their childhood. The former national park ranger and conservation activist, Siranudh “Psi” Scott, first addressed the issue publicly in a video shared on his social…
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Foreign man filmed provoking Thai man before street fight
A video of a confrontation between a foreign man and a Thai man has gone viral after footage appeared to show the foreigner slapping the Thai man before a street fight broke out. The clip, posted by a user named “Mai Tong Pood,” showed a brief altercation and included a caption claiming the foreign man had tried to provoke the…
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Chiang Rai man shoots neighbour over noise from livestream videos
A Thai man shot his neighbour at a house in Chiang Rai province on the evening of Monday, May 11, after a previous argument over noise from livestream videos. The incident took place at a house in Thoeng district. The victim, 24 year old Siwakorn, was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to his right arm and significant…
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Saraburi man arrested in 20 million baht hotel booking scam case
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested a man in Saraburi on May 11 over a fake hotel booking scam that allegedly used copied hotel webpages to trick victims into transferring accommodation payments. DSI officers and Nong Khae police arrested the suspect, Chinawat, outside a house in Nong Khae district, Saraburi province, at around 3.10pm. The arrest was made under…
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Thailand alcohol ban takes effect in eight public areas
Eight updated alcohol control notices took effect in Thailand yesterday, May 12, banning the consumption or sale of alcohol in designated public transport, state, and government-related areas. The Royal Gazette published the eight notices under alcohol control regulations. The measures update rules first introduced in 2008 to make them more suitable for current conditions. The updated rules ban alcohol sales…
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Bolt strengthens safety measures after Bangkok schoolgirl case
Bolt Thailand announced stricter safety measures on May 11, including AI monitoring and expanded facial recognition checks, after a rider impersonation case involving a schoolgirl in Bangkok late last month. The company said that it continues to operate as usual in Thailand while working with relevant agencies on its platform certification process. The new measures are intended to strengthen checks…
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Thai woman flees detention and abuse by police boyfriend
A Nakhon Ratchasima police officer admitted to using drugs and abusing his girlfriend by attacking her, forcing her to take crystal meth, and distributing her explicit images online. The suspect, identified only as 30 year old Police Sergeant Man, reported himself to the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police Office after allegations were filed by his girlfriend, 28 year old Nueng. The woman…
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South Korean temporarily restricts Thai workers from 4 provinces in Isaan
South Korea temporarily restricted workers from four northeastern Thai provinces after some labourers reportedly absconded from their employers during seasonal employment programmes. Thailand’s Anti-Fake News Centre confirmed the measure yesterday, May 11, following widespread discussion on social media about an alleged ban on Thai workers entering South Korea. In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the centre clarified…
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Elderly Thai woman confesses to fake robbery after gambling losses
An elderly woman in Nong Bua Lamphu admitted staging a robbery at her home after selling gold jewellery gifted by her daughter to fund gambling activities. The case came to public attention after the woman’s daughter, who lives overseas, contacted Channel 8 to complain about delays in the police investigation into the robbery at her mother Pranee’s home. According to…
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Honey collector fatally stung by bees in Maha Sarakham forest
A man died after being stung by a swarm of bees while hunting for wild honey with a relative in a forest near a school in Ku Thong subdistrict, Chiang Yuen district, Maha Sarakham, yesterday, May 11. The man, identified as 62 year old Noo Ken, had gone into the area with his 59 year old relative, Narong, who climbed…
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Bear mauls Thai man while collecting food ingredients in Ratchaburi forest
A Thai man suffered serious injuries and required 40 stitches after a bear attack while searching for food in a forest near his home in Ratchaburi province on Sunday, May 10. The victim, 48 year old Surachai, was admitted to Pong Namron Hospital following the incident, which took place at around 2pm. According to Surachai, he entered the forest to…
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Chaiyaphum man faces home seizure despite clearing bank debt
A 55 year old Chaiyaphum homeowner is seeking answers after receiving a house seizure notice, despite saying he cleared his bank debt in full last year and has documents to prove it. Today, May 12, Kriengsak, from Phon Thong subdistrict, Mueang Chaiyaphum district, submitted evidence to the media after receiving a property seizure notice from the Chaiyaphum Legal Execution Office…
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EV charging station fire damages truck at Samut Prakan factory
An EV charging station fire in Samut Prakan damaged a small electric truck at a factory in Bang Sao Thong district yesterday, May 11, with no injuries reported. At 2.10am, officers at Bang Sao Thong Police Station received a report of a fire at an electric vehicle charging station inside a company in Bang Sao Thong subdistrict, Bang Sao Thong…
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Krabi official registers marriage for drug suspect before arrest
A district chief in Krabi allowed a suspected drug dealer to register his marriage before the man was sent to prison following his drug arrest yesterday, May 11. Officials in Mueang Krabi district said the suspect, known as “Dome Koh Klang,” was arrested during an operation targeting small-scale drug dealers in Khlong Prasong subdistrict. Officers allegedly found 399 methamphetamine pills in his…
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3 Chinese men held for turning Pattaya house into Pod K production
Police arrested three Chinese nationals after uncovering a luxury house in Pattaya, Chon buri, being used to produce ketamine-laced e-cigarettes, locally known as Pod K. Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) and Chon Buri Provincial Police raided the property in Bang Lamung district at around 4.30pm yesterday, May 11. The operation followed reports that a group of Chinese nationals…
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Indian tourists accused of ganging up on Thai man in Phuket
A Thai man was allegedly attacked by a group of Indian tourists in Phuket early this morning, May 12, after he tried to stop a dispute over one of the tourists sitting on the bonnet of a parked car. The incident reportedly happened at around 4.30am near the end of Bangla Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket. Officers later…
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Bolt driver accused of conning Chinese tourist with 1,000 baht ‘fine’
A Chinese tourist has warned other travellers after claiming a Bolt driver in Bangkok tried to charge her 1,000 baht for an alleged seatbelt fine during a ride, despite her saying she saw no police officers. The tourist shared the story on Threads, saying it was the first time she had encountered such a driver despite visiting Bangkok many times.…
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Chinese weapon suspects suffers seizure after 4-day hunger strike in Pattaya prison
The Chinese weapon suspect, Mingchen Sun, was rushed to the hospital last night, May 11, after reportedly suffering seizures and severe exhaustion following a four-day hunger strike while being detained at Pattaya Remand Prison. The 31 year old suspect has been in custody since his arrest in Chon Buri on May 8 after a car crash in Sattahip district led…
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Foreign rider damages rental motorcycle in Phuket during off-road riding
A foreign motorcyclist, believed to be a Russian national, drew criticism online after a video showed him damaging a rental motorcycle while attempting to ride off-road in Phuket. The footage was shared today, May 11, by the Phuket Times Facebook page, which claimed the incident involved a foreign rider using a rented motorcycle on an off-road track in Phuket. The motorcycle…
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Chinese man’s military-grade weapons linked to Thai police and military officers
Several police officers and military personnel linked to a Chinese national found in possession of firearms, military-grade weapons, and explosives in Chon Buri province. The investigation began after 31 year old Chinese national Mingchen Sun crashed his vehicle in Sattahip district, Chon Buri, on May 9 while travelling with a Taiwanese woman. Officers from Na Jomtien Police Station examined the…
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Bangkok transwoman reportedly forced to shave hairs for insulting Quran
A group of Muslims gathered outside a restaurant in Ramkhamhaeng area of Bangkok allegedly to pressure a transwoman to issue an apology and shave her hairs for insulting the holy Quran during a livestreaming video on social media. The transwoman, identified only as Lor, reportedly grew up in a Muslim community in Narathiwat before later moving to Bangkok for work.…
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5 Russian nationals held after viral altercation in Phuket night market
Five Russian nationals were arrested following a violent altercation at a night market in Phuket after footage of the incident circulated widely on Thai social media yesterday, May 10. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared videos from the disturbance at Midtown Phuket Night Market with a caption alleging, “A drunk foreign man caused trouble in the city centre by assaulting…
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Chinese tourists filmed with protected parrotfish and starfish in Phuket
Phuket locals are calling for legal action against a group of Chinese nationals after videos circulated online showed them hunting protected parrotfish and handling starfish at Kata Beach. The footage, which spread widely on Thai social media, prompted criticism from residents and environmental supporters concerned about the treatment of marine wildlife and the lack of immediate enforcement action by officials.…
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4 Indian tourists fall unconscious before 1 dies in Phuket hospital
Police are continuing to investigate after four Indian tourists lost consciousness at a restaurant on Kamala Beach in Phuket early Friday morning, May 9, before one of the men later died in hospital. Officers from Kamala Police Station and rescuers from the Kamala Subdistrict Administrative Office Foundation were called to the beachfront restaurant after receiving a report from a security…
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Hong Kong activist Zhang Xinyan arrested in Thailand
Hong Kong activist Zhang Xinyan, a wanted member of the overseas group Hong Kong Parliament, has been arrested in Thailand for overstaying her visa and is reportedly set to be deported to mainland China. According to the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Parliament is an overseas pro-democracy activist group mainly founded and run by self-exiled Hong Kong activists. Sunai…
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Police gun linked to Chinese suspect and C4 explosives traced
A police-issued firearm from Sai Mai Police Station passed through four officers’ hands before ending up with a Chinese suspect found in possession of C4 explosives and a weapons cache, police revealed yesterday. Following a meeting called by the police chief to discuss the case of 31 year old Ming Chen Sun, the suspect told officers he purchased the weapons…
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