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.
-
Thailand airports tighten virus checks for West Bengal travellers
Enhanced disease control measures are now in place at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket airports, targeting travellers from West Bengal, India, following a confirmed outbreak of the potentially deadly Nipah virus. A travel advisory urges Thai citizens visiting India to exercise caution. International communicable disease officers at these airports have commenced intensified screening of inbound passengers, particularly those from West…
-
Man claims spirit possession in fatal stabbing of grandmother
A 44 year old man, Kiattisak, nicknamed ‘Hamnoi,’ has confessed to fatally stabbing his 89 year old grandmother, Tan, in her home in Nong Hai subdistrict, Mueang district, Udon Thani province, claiming possession by two spirits. Police suspect the incident was due to a lack of medication. The incident occurred last night, on January 24 in Nong Hai subdistrict, Mueang…
-
Annual Wat Phra That Phanom festival unites Thai and Lao devotees
Excitement surrounds the upcoming festival at Wat Phra That Phanom in Nakhon Phanom province, as the sacred site prepares for the annual ceremony set to commence tomorrow, on January 26. The event, which will run until February 3, unites devotees from Thailand and Laos in a nine-day and nine-night tribute. At the heart of the preparations, Police Colonel Doctor Manus…
-
Train services resume after fatal crane collapse in Thailand
Train services on the northeastern line in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Sikhiu district have resumed, following thorough safety inspections and approval by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) after a fatal crane collapse. The accident on January 14 resulted in 30 fatalities, prompting an ongoing investigation to determine causes and accountability. While the resumption aims to restore transport links and public confidence,…
-
Police and military seize 4.7 million meth pills in Thailand
Police Major General Siam Boonsom, along with senior police officials and the military intelligence unit, announced the successful apprehension of a major drug trafficking network. The operation resulted in the seizure of 4.7 million methamphetamine pills on Friday, January 24 at 3.30pm. The police received a tip-off that the suspect would be driving a ten-wheeler truck to collect drugs in…
-
Myanmar TikTok star mourned as police hunt murder suspects
Thousands of fans gathered to bid a sorrowful farewell to popular TikTok star Go Tin So Hwe, a 25 year old Myanmar national, whose tragic murder has shocked the LGBTQ community. Yesterday, on January 24, the body of this beloved online personality was found concealed in a grassy area beneath a large tree on the outskirts of Ban Phatong village,…
-
Thai woman claims healing powers with quantum psychic energy
A complaint has been raised concerning an individual claiming to be the wife of a deputy governor in the upper northeastern province of Thailand. This person is reportedly offering medical treatment using so-called quantum psychic energy. Reports indicate that numerous residents from multiple provinces, including Udon Thani and Nong Khai, have sought her services. The woman had previously attempted to…
-
Two young men drown after being swept out to sea at Laem Pho Beach
Two young men died after being swept out to sea whilst swimming with friends at Laem Pho Beach in Pattani province, authorities said. The incident occurred on 24 January 2026, when a group of five teenagers entered the sea amid strong wave conditions along the coastline of Laem Pho subdistrict, in Yaharing district. At 9.44am, emergency services received a report…
-
Loan shark gang member arrested in Kanchanaburi after years on the run
A former member of a loan shark gang has been arrested in Kanchanaburi after fleeing authorities for more than two years, police said on 24 January 2026. The suspect, identified by police as Mr Kittisak, aged 37, was detained at a residence in Moo 2, Tha Makham subdistrict, Mueang Kanchanaburi district. The arrest followed an outstanding warrant issued by Chiang…
-
Man arrested for killing his girlfriend by cutting out her tongue
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrested a 44-year-old man in connection with the killing of his girlfriend at a resort in Mueang district, following a reported surrender late on 23 January 2026. At about 9.00pm, Pol. Lt. Col. Ekachai Pholkaset, Deputy Superintendent of Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police, received a report from local residents that a man had confessed to…
-
Officials destroy opium plantation in raid
Officials from multiple Thai government agencies carried out a coordinated operation to destroy an opium plantation and seize illegal weapons in Wiang Sa district, Nan province, on 24 January 2026. The operation took place in Ban Phu Fah Mai, Village No. 8, Yab Hua Na subdistrict, where officers identified and destroyed one plot of opium classified as a Category 5…
-
Cocaine trafficking ring dismantled by Bangkok police
Thai police arrested four suspects in connection with a cocaine distribution network operating in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, following a three-month investigation led by the Royal Thai Police and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. The arrests were announced on 24 January 2026, after officers concluded a coordinated operation involving the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, and…
-
Attempted murder suspect arrested after armed attack
Police arrested a 35-year-old man on 24 January 2026 in connection with an armed attack on a family home in Roi Et province. The arrest took place at around 10.24am after officers from the Crime Suppression Division located the suspect in Samut Sakhon province. The operation was carried out under the direction of senior division commanders following the issuance of…
-
Public prosecutor found dead in car near his own child’s school
A public prosecutor was found dead inside his car near a school entrance in Khon Kaen Province on 23 January 2026, police said. Ban Ped Police Station received a call at about 6.30pm about a man found unresponsive inside a vehicle parked on a roadside near a school in Ban Wa Subdistrict, Mueang District. Officers secured the area and coordinated…
-
Twelve arrested over fatal shooting of juvenile in Bangkok
Police arrested twelve people on 23 January 2026 in connection with the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy in Bang Khen district, Bangkok. One suspect remains at large, along with two firearms believed to have been used in the attack. The shooting occurred late on 22 January 2026 near a canal bridge in Soi Phahonyothin 57, Anusawari subdistrict. The victim…
-
Lopburi man severely burned after two-hour disappearance
A man in Lopburi province was rushed to the hospital with serious burn injuries today, January 23, after returning home in a critical condition, covered in burns and smelling of petrol. Police from Tha Hin Police Station were alerted around 12.45pm to a house in Moo 2, Pho Kao Ton subdistrict, Mueang Lopburi district, where rescue personnel and hospital staff…
-
Thailand monitors Nipah virus threat following Indian outbreak
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) has issued a public alert today, January 23, over the Nipah virus following an outbreak in India, urging coordination with the One Health network to prevent potential spread into the country. The DDC confirms on its Facebook page that it is closely monitoring the situation and is fast-tracking coordination with the One Health network.…
-
Elderly driver smashes into Trat factory, blames gear failure
An 80 year old man accidentally crashed his car into a bottled water factory in Trat province yesterday after allegedly experiencing a gear malfunction that left him unable to brake. The incident took place at a water factory located in a small alley in Ban Nong Bua, Wang Krachae subdistrict. CCTV footage captured the moment a black sedan entered the…
-
Scam suspects on holiday caught by AI-powered cameras in Pattaya
Four individuals wanted for their alleged roles in online scam operations were arrested yesterday, January 23, in Pattaya, after AI-powered surveillance cameras alerted tourist police to their presence at a busy pier. The arrests occurred at Laem Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya, where facial recognition flagged each suspect. All had outstanding warrants for cybercrime and fraud, and were handed over…
-
Finnish tourist’s stolen AirPods lead to drug bust on Koh Pha Ngan
A stolen pair of wireless earphones, Apple AirPods, helped police on Koh Pha Ngan uncover a large cache of illegal drugs yesterday, January 22, after a Finnish tourist reported a theft at her accommodation. The case began at around 10.15am when a 29 year old Finnish woman sought help from Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police after discovering her belongings had…
-
Thai travellers targeted in rising visa scam wave, VFS warns
As outbound travel from Thailand continues to climb, travellers are constantly reminded to watch out for visa-related scams, with increasing reports of fraudulent appointment letters and illegal charges for priority processing. VFS Global, the official visa outsourcing partner for 26 governments in Thailand, issued the warning this week as more Thai travellers prepare for their travels abroad. According to Simon…
-
Young Finnish girl rescued from alleged captivity in Sa Kaeo
An 11 year old Finnish girl was rescued in Sa Kaeo province yesterday, January 22, after she reportedly sent an email to Finnish police claiming she was being held against her will. According to reports, officers from the Sa Kaeo Immigration Bureau, in coordination with representatives from the Finnish Embassy and other Thai agencies, responded to a request for assistance…
-
Drunken Brit and Thai woman caught in steamy act on Pattaya Beach
A British man and a Thai woman were caught allegedly engaging in a lewd act on Pattaya Beach early this morning, January 23, prompting police intervention. But what followed raised even more eyebrows. At around 4.19am, police officers from Pattaya City Police Station were alerted by a passerby who claimed to have witnessed inappropriate behaviour between a man and a…
-
Taiwanese and Thai tourists brawl at Chiang Rai’s White Temple
Taiwanese and Thai tourists were involved in a physical altercation at Wat Rong Khun, commonly known as the White Temple, in Chiang Rai province last week following a dispute over photography regulations at the site. A video showing four tourists fighting on the temple’s well-known “Bridge of Rebirth” quickly went viral on Thai social media. The footage showed two couples…
-
Thai police accused of groping 14 year old girl while drunk
A police officer nearing retirement in Phetchabun province paid compensation after he alleged groped a 14 year old Thai girl’s breasts while under the influence of alcohol on Tuesday, January 20. The girl‘s mother shared a video of her heated argument with a police officer on social media platforms and also gave it to several news agencies to seek justice…
-
Meatball chase goes wrong as dog gets stuck in car rim
A hungry dog got her head stuck in a car wheel in Phanom Sarakham district, Chachoengsao, today, January 22, while trying to reach a single meatball, prompting a call to local rescue teams for assistance. The female dog reportedly became trapped after attempting to retrieve a meatball that had fallen into the centre of a spare alloy wheel, which had…
-
Missing British man found dead in Bangkok hotel after donation appeal
Thai netizens raised suspicions about a British family’s donation campaign after they sought financial support to search for a missing relative in Pattaya, only to later announce that he was found dead at a hotel in Bangkok. A missing person poster for 21 year old British national Joshua Kershaw was widely shared across Facebook groups of expats and tourists in…
-
Cha-am cracks down on abandoned buildings to boost tourist safety
Cha-am police launched a late-night operation last night, January 21, to detain a man found living in an abandoned building near a popular beach viewpoint, amid efforts to prevent crimes that could threaten tourist safety in the area. Kaew Kongwong, Cha-am district chief, led the operation alongside police, immigration officers, municipal staff, and local volunteers. The team searched several locations,…
-
3 Thai children set homeless on fire and film incident as trophy
Three Thai attackers, aged between nine and 15, set a homeless man on fire by the roadside in the Prawet area of Bangkok and filmed the incident as a trophy. The victim was identified as 51 year old Karn, a homeless man who lives under the Ban Ma Bridge in Prawet. He makes a living by collecting and reselling recyclable…
-
Woman attacked in broad daylight near Platinum Mall in Bangkok
A Thai woman was attacked from behind by a mentally unstable man in the Pratunam area of Bangkok today, January 22. The incident was captured on CCTV and later shared on social media by the victim. The victim, Suchawadee Thongyoo, wrote in a Facebook post that she was standing in front of a bus stop near Grand Diamond Suites Hotel,…
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.