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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Chinese woman stages her own kidnapping to extort money from father
Thai police arrested four Chinese nationals in Samut Prakan after a Chinese woman staged her own kidnapping with her boyfriend and two other men to extort money from her father. The case came to light after the woman’s father filed a complaint with police in China, saying his daughter, identified only as Tong, was kidnapped in Cambodia. He was told…
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ONE Championship launches lawsuit against Thai boxer over contract dispute
ONE Championship launched legal action against Thai boxer Rodtang Jitmueangnon over alleged breaches of contract. In a post published on its Facebook page, ONE Championship Thailand, the promotion said it had started legal proceedings in Thailand, Japan and Singapore against Rodtang, whose real name is 28 year old Tinnakorn Srisawat. ONE said the action followed multiple alleged contract breaches, including…
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4 Pattaya taxi riders and bar guards arrested for attacking 2 foreigners
Four Thai men, including motorcycle taxi riders and bar security guards, were arrested after a viral video showed them attacking two foreigners during Songkran celebrations in Pattaya. The video was shared by the SiamChon News Facebook page on April 13 with a caption claiming that Pattaya motorcycle taxi riders attacked a foreign tourist in Soi Pattaya 6 after he sprayed…
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2 Frenchmen arrested for assault on Thai motorcyclist in Phuket Songkran celebrations
A Thai man suffered serious injuries after he was attacked by Frenchmen in Phuket on April 13 after refusing to join a Songkran water fight. The victim’s girlfriend, 27 year old Maytinee Sila, went to Patong Police Station on the day of the incident to report the assault on her 29 year old boyfriend, Kunanya Phokham. The incident took place at…
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Phichit man reports sexual assault by women and transwomen during Songkran
A man filed a police complaint after a group of women and transwomen sexually assaulted him during Songkran celebrations in Phichit province, leaving a hickey on his neck. The victim, identified only as Chitsanupong, shared photos of marks on his neck on Facebook yesterday, April 15. Based on the tagged location in the post, the sexual assault took place at…
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Cat bites owner, stops Thai train, gets blamed for seven-hour delay
A cat that attacked its owner and scratched fellow passengers on a southbound train has been blamed online for a seven-hour delay, though passengers say two successive engine failures were the real cause. Rapid Train No.169, travelling from Bangkok Aphiwat to Yala, arrived at Yala station at 6.15pm on Monday, 430 minutes behind schedule. A Facebook post by Kijja Pongpisan,…
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Police confirm accidental death of man found near Sukhumvit building
Police have confirmed the death of Hotesh (Nikhil) Sham Dodani, a 37 year old Thai resident, was accidental, with police and post-mortem reports now providing verified findings after initial reports could not confirm the full circumstances surrounding his death on April 4. Police Lieutenant Panurut Limsangkad from Thonglor Police Station responded to the scene on Soi Sukhumvit 24, Khlong Tan…
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Phuket locals call for tougher action on foreigners with disruptive behaviour during Songkran
A group of foreigners in Phuket is facing public criticism after reports of aggressive behaviour during Songkran Festival, including blocking roads, harassing motorists and inappropriate conduct towards women. Officers from Patong Police Station arrested the group on April 14 after a viral video showed them forcing open a van door and throwing water at the driver and inside the vehicle.…
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Air quality in Thailand worsens as pollution levels rise in 42 provinces
Air quality across Thailand has deteriorated significantly, with PM2.5 levels breaching safety thresholds in 42 provinces spanning the north, northeast, and central regions, as forecasters warn of worsening pollution over the coming week. The Air Pollution Resolution Communication Centre reported on Tuesday, April 15, that readings taken at 7am showed unsafe PM2.5 concentrations across a broad swath of the country.…
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Patong tourists arrested for water-throwing chaos during Songkran
Seven foreign tourists were arrested in Patong after forcing open a vehicle door to spray water inside during Songkran celebrations, despite the driver’s clear objections. The group now faces charges of causing a public disturbance and obstructing traffic. Patong police addressed the situation on April 14, following a viral social media clip captioned “Patong chaos: foreign tourists force door open…
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102-year-old ‘Khun Yai Whin’ walks unaided at Songkran festival
A 102 year old woman known as “Khun Yai Whin” became the highlight of this year’s Songkran celebrations in Mueang district, Pathum Thani, walking unaided and drawing admiration from the more than 500 people in attendance. The festival, held today, April 15, at the multipurpose area of Baan Klang subdistrict, centred on honouring the elderly in keeping with Thai new…
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Thailand braces for summer storms with potential hail and lightning
Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued its second storm warning of the season, alerting residents across upper Thailand to prepare for a spell of severe weather running from Thursday through Monday. The warning follows the arrival of a high-pressure system carrying cold air from China across the South China Sea, which is intensifying southerly and southeasterly winds across the lower Northeast…
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Man high on meth arrested after attempted assault in Samut Prakan
A man allegedly high on methamphetamine broke into a young woman’s apartment in Samut Prakan during the Songkran holiday and attempted to assault her before being chased down and detained by locals. Police from Bang Phli station received a report of the attempted assault and coordinated with local patrol officers and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation to investigate the incident…
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Man arrested for groping journalist during Songkran festival
Police arrested a man accused of groping a female journalist on Rama 4 Road during Songkran celebrations on Sunday afternoon. Officers from Pathumwan station apprehended Methasit (surname withheld) at 4.30pm on April 13 after he allegedly touched a journalist on her left buttock while she was reporting on the water festival. The journalist said she was walking along the road…
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Chinese man caught stealing on flight to Thailand
Thai tourist police arrested a Chinese national on Sunday, April 13, after he was caught stealing cash from a fellow passenger aboard a flight arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport from Laos. Officers from Tourist Police Division 3, under Tourist Police Bureau 1, detained the suspect, Zheng, upon landing. Police recovered 16,020 baht in cash linked to the theft, along with various…
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Four killed in tragic Songkran road accident in Pathum Thani
Four people were killed and several others injured on Sunday after a car returning from Songkran celebrations collided with a motorcycle on the Taling Chan-Suphan Buri Road in Pathum Thani province. A survivor said poor lighting at the scene contributed to the crash. The collision occurred at the entrance of the Na Mai Subdistrict Administration Office on the road heading…
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Foreigners cause chaos with fire extinguisher in Pattaya Songkran festivities
Two foreigners caused a disturbance on Walking Street in South Pattaya during Songkran celebrations early on Sunday after using a fire extinguisher to spray at bystanders and motorcycles, leaving a trail of chemical residue and damage. The incident happened at around 5am and was captured on video, which quickly spread across a popular local Facebook group. One post described the…
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Thai man caught smuggling petrol in watermelon truck to Myanmar
A 56 year old Thai man was arrested on April 12 while transporting nearly 400 litres of petrol hidden beneath a load of watermelons in a pickup truck, with plans to sell the fuel across the border into Myanmar at a significant markup. The arrest took place at a joint checkpoint in Nong Lu subdistrict, Sangkhlaburi district, Kanchanaburi province. Soldiers…
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Trat officials seize five boats in Cambodia smuggling bust
Officials intercepted a smuggling operation transporting consumer goods and animal products from Thailand to Cambodia along the coastal border in Hat Lek, Trat, on April 12, seizing multiple boats and arresting six suspects. The operation was carried out by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai MECC) in Trat, working with the Royal Thai Marine Corps task force and border…
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Rak Chart Party submits UNESCO letter urging tighter review
Representatives of the Rak Chart Party travelled to Paris, France, to submit a letter to UNESCO headquarters today, April 12, expressing appreciation for its recognition of Thai cultural heritage while also calling for careful evaluation of world heritage registrations. The delegation, led by party director Chanin Pinthong and spokesperson Chaiporn Jirawinijnan, said the visit aimed to thank UNESCO for acknowledging…
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Fatal collision claims two lives during Phatthalung’s dangerous period
Two people died after a high-speed motorcycle collision on April 11 in Phatthalung, raising the province’s death toll during the annual Songkran seven-day dangerous period to two. The incident took place at 6.50pm on Phetkasem Road along the Phatthalung-Trang route, in Khok Chai Ngai subdistrict, Mueang district, Phatthalung province. A BMW S1000RR motorcycle with a Bangkok registration was found at…
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Bedridden Swiss man dies in Pattaya room fire
A 79 year old Swiss man died in a room fire at a rental property in Pong subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, yesterday, April 11, with police suspecting a cigarette butt may have caused the blaze. Police were alerted to the fire at 6.06am in Soi Huai Yai Muk, Moo 6, and responded with firefighters from Pong Municipality and…
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Phuket landfill fire contained but smoke continues
A fire broke out at a waste site in Saphan Hin, Mueang district, Phuket, yesterday, April 11, with officials containing the blaze but warning of ongoing smoke from the landfill blaze. The incident was reported at about 3.17pm at the Phuket City Municipality landfill site. Flames were found in landfill pits four and five, with the fire believed to have…
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18-wheeler crash in Lampang leaves two dead, eight injured
A fatal multi-vehicle collision involving an 18-wheeler in Lampang left two people dead and eight injured on the Tak–Lampang road in Thoen district yesterday, April 11. Police were alerted to the incident at 2.45pm on Phahonyothin Road, on the inbound lane opposite the entrance to Mae Wa National Park in Thoen district. Officers from Thoen Police Station attended the scene…
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Foreign tourists spray fire extinguisher on Pattaya Walking Street
A video posted on social media at 5.16am today, April 12, drew criticism after foreign tourists were seen causing disruption to people nearby by spraying a fire extinguisher along Walking Street in South Pattaya, Chon Buri. The clip showed a tall foreign man wearing a white shirt and black shorts using a dry chemical fire extinguisher and spraying white powder…
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Rama 2 Road construction paused for Songkran, easing traffic
Rama 2 Road clear for Songkran travellers as construction halts Traffic on Rama 2 Road was flowing smoothly in both directions as of 7pm on April 11, with vehicles moving at speeds of 80 to 100 kilometres per hour. The Department of Highways confirmed the update after temporarily halting all construction work on the road, reopening main lanes to ease…
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Airports boost safety and service for Songkran festival 2026
Thailand’s Department of Airports has announced a package of enhanced measures for the Songkran 2026 holiday period, promising smoother journeys for passengers travelling through regional airports across the country. The initiative, themed “Smart Travel Songkran 2026,” was unveiled on April 10 and falls in line with the Ministry of Transport’s campaign “Leave Anytime, Arrive Safely.” Director-general Donai Ruangsorn is leading…
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Man found dead in remote Phatthalung forest with bullet wound
A 29 year old man was found dead in a remote forest above Khlong Hua Chang Reservoir in Phatthalung province on Thursday, April 10, after rescue workers endured a gruelling journey by boat and on foot to reach the scene. At 4pm, rescue workers from Khao Hua Chang Municipality were alerted to a man who had lost consciousness deep in…
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Man severely injured in pit bull attack in Phetchabun
A 61 year old man sustained severe injuries after being attacked by two pit bulls at a residence in the Chon Daen district of Phetchabun province on Friday. Rescue personnel from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation responded to the incident at a house in Ban Dong Khwaen village, Tha Kham subdistrict. Surachai Chuchaloem suffered extensive lacerations to his face, arms, legs, and…
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Thai ex-manager confesses to hacking Nonthaburi mall system in revenge
A former network manager of a shopping mall in Nonthaburi confessed to hacking his former employer’s computer system after being dismissed, saying he acted out of anger but did not expect the attack to cause more than 10 million baht in damage. A representative of the shopping mall filed a complaint with Cyber Police in January, reporting that the company’s…
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