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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Newborn baby abandoned in backpack on Samut Prakan bridge
Police are searching for a mother who abandoned her newborn baby by placing her inside a backpack and leaving her on a roadside in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The Samut Prakan Rescue Foundation was alerted to the discovery at around 2pm yesterday, July 17. The baby was found in a black backpack left on a bridge along Surao Bang…
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Zika fear grips Thailand amid rainy season spike
Thailand is on red alert as the Zika virus spreads rapidly through the rainy season, with pregnant women warned they could face devastating consequences if infected. Health officials have sounded the alarm after a spike in cases was reported across three provinces – Bangkok, Phayao, and Maha Sarakham – urging residents to take immediate precautions. The Department of Disease Control…
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Pattaya motorbike taxi driver found dead in apartment
Pattaya was rocked by a tragic late-night discovery when a local motorcycle taxi driver was found dead in his apartment, shocking his community and leaving his wife devastated. The grim scene unfolded at 1.06am today, July 18, when the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit received a call about a body found in a room at an unnamed apartment block on…
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Brit mum busted in Munich drug sting after Thailand detour
A British mum has been charged after she was reportedly caught smuggling cannabis from Thailand to Germany, becoming the latest in a troubling wave of young UK nationals caught in overseas weed crackdowns. Cameron Bradford, a 21 year old from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, is facing serious charges in Germany after being arrested at Munich Airport on April 22. Immigration officers declared…
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Pattaya mob attack: Bolt driver beaten by gang of 30
Pattaya’s nightlife turned violent in the early hours of today when a Bolt driver was viciously attacked by a mob of more than 30 people, leaving tourists and bar staff in shock. The savage assault unfolded at 3.36am today, July 18, along Pattaya Second Road near Soi 10, where police responded to frantic calls about a mass brawl. Officers arrived…
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Paetongtarn visits rangers hurt in Ubon border blast
What began as a routine patrol near the Thai-Cambodian border ended in a bloody blast, leaving one soldier without a leg and two others wounded. Now, Thailand’s Prime Minister and Culture Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is stepping in to deliver more than just sympathy—she’s promising action. Today, July 18, Paetongtarn travelled to Sapphasitprasong Camp Hospital in- Ubon Ratchathani province to visit…
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Aussie tourist found dead in Patong hotel bathroom
A 69 year old Aussie tourist was found dead in his Phuket hotel bathroom yesterday morning, just days after arriving for a six-week tropical getaway. Hotel staff at the property off Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong made the grim discovery around 10.30am yesterday, Thursday, July 18, after a concerned Thai woman reported she hadn’t heard from the man in…
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Pattaya police allegedly ignore sexual assault complaint against Bolt rider
A Thai woman accused Pattaya police officers of failing to take action after she lodged a sexual assault complaint against a Bolt motorcycle taxi rider. The woman shared her account of the assault yesterday, July 17, in a Facebook group, พัทยา (Pattaya), condemning officers at Mueang Pattaya Police Station for their alleged inaction. In her post, she wrote… “I reported…
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Copper conned! Aussie cop fleeced in Thai cryptocurrency scam
A retired Aussie police officer hoping to enjoy a quiet life in Thailand has instead been left nearly penniless, after being duped out of more than 40 million baht in a slick cryptocurrency scam run by a German expat in Phuket. Michael “Tom” Reinecke, thought he was investing in a high-return digital currency venture but now says he’s the latest…
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Vietjet stuns with 0 baht fares on new Bangkok-Kolkata route
Bargain-hunters, brace yourselves—VietJet Thailand is shaking up the skies again, this time with 0 baht fares to India. The budget airline has announced a jaw-dropping promotion to celebrate its brand-new direct route from Bangkok to Kolkata, launching this November. VietJet Thailand CEO Voranate Laprabang revealed that the new route is part of the carrier’s aggressive push to expand its international…
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Wheels of misfortune: Woman crushed in Phuket truck horror
A sunny Phuket afternoon turned into a nightmare when a young woman riding pillion was killed after a six-wheeled lorry ploughed into a motorbike on Wiset Road in Rawai, sparking fresh calls for better road safety. The fatal crash happened at around 1.45pm yesterday, July 17 near the Go Wholesale branch in Rawai, when a white Hino truck collided with…
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Man drowns after pickup plunges off Nakhon Si Thammarat bridge
A late-night shortcut turned fatal for one man in Nakhon Si Thammarat, when a routine drive ended in horror as his pickup truck plunged off an unfinished bridge, claiming his life in a freak drowning accident. The tragic incident unfolded around 8.30pm yesterday, July 17, when 51 year old Bamrung’s brown-black Isuzu pickup veered off a construction zone in Village…
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Thaksin plans to turn Thailand into a tech and aviation powerhouse
Thaksin Shinawatra is back in the spotlight—and he’s thinking big. The former PM has laid out an ambitious strategy to turn Thailand into a regional superhub for aviation, electric vehicles (EV), and green-powered data centres, in what he calls a “golden opportunity” for national transformation. In his recent public statement, Thaksin said Thailand is geographically primed to become ASEAN’s premier…
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Soap and rob: Pattaya ladyboy claims Indian stole cash mid-shower
A 27 year old ladyboy woman flipped the script in Pattaya after claiming an Indian man swiped her cash while she was in the shower, in a steamy Walking Street encounter that ended with police dragging him off to the cells. The distressed victim arrived at Pattaya City Police Station at 3am today, July 18, to file a complaint against…
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Udon Thani man found dead after financial collapse
A man was found dead outside his home in Udon Thani in a chilling scene that left neighbours and relatives shaken. The 54 year old, who reportedly lost millions and struggled with emotional despair after his divorce, left behind a haunting farewell note and five luxury watches. Police Lieutenant Sirichai Photichak from Udon Thani Police Station led officers and rescue…
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Top of the clicks! Bangkok crowned world’s No.1 nomad hotspot
Bangkok has bagged the title of the world’s dream city for digital nomads, beating out 1,300 other hotspots to take the crown as the top destination for remote workers in 2025. According to a global survey by travel platform HotelWithTub, Thailand’s buzzing capital has been crowned the number one city on the planet for digital nomads this year, scoring 91…
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Thailand hit by mental health spike and baby bust
Thailand’s facing a double dose of trouble—more people are battling mental health issues than ever before, while fewer babies are being born. Experts say it’s a social time bomb. The newly released Thai Health Report 2025, launched yesterday, July 17, by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and Mahidol University, paints a worrying picture of the nation’s emotional and demographic…
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Thai man dies surrounded by over 100 beer bottles in Rayong home
A Thai man died in his home in the eastern province of Rayong, with over 100 empty beer bottles discovered in his bedroom. Reports suggest he turned to heavy drinking due to severe personal stress. Rescue workers from the Siam Rayong Foundation were called to a house in the Ban Chang district to assist the man, who was reportedly suffering…
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Tonnes of toxic beef haul uncovered in Pathum Thani
More than 41 tonnes of dodgy beef and organ meat—allegedly soaked in toxic formalin—have been seized from a cold storage warehouse in Pathum Thani, sparking fears over contaminated food in Bangkok’s markets. Acting on a tip-off, officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD), in coordination with officials from the Livestock Development Department, raided a sprawling cold storage facility covering…
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Flatline shocker: Two Foreign men found dead in Pattaya condo
Two foreign men were found dead in eerily similar circumstances just two hours apart, and just two floors apart, in a Pattaya condo, sparking a full-blown police probe into the bizarre double tragedy. Pattaya police were left scratching their heads yesterday, July 17, after the bodies of a Swedish man and an Australian man were discovered in separate rooms of…
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Contractor kills knife-wielding man in Trang shootout
A knife-wielding man was shot dead in broad daylight on a village road in Trang province, after reportedly terrorising locals in a drug-fuelled outburst. The gunman was identified as a local contractor who claimed he was acting in self-defence. The incident unfolded yesterday, July 17, in Huai Yot district, when 40 year old Pathompong, a contractor, fatally shot 32 year…
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Thai MPs accuse government of trading national security for tariff cuts
Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MPs accused the government of concealing a significant deal with the United States from the public, claiming officials plan to allow the US to use a naval base in southern Thailand in exchange for a tariff reduction. A group of MPs from the Palang Pracharath Party, led by Phang Nga MP Chakaj Phatthanakitwibun, held a press…
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Charges urged against 229 over Thai Senate vote-rigging scandal
An investigative panel has urged charges against 229 people, including executives from the Bhumjaithai Party, related to allegations of extensive vote-rigging during Thailand’s Senate election last year. The Election Commission (EC) must now evaluate these findings to decide on further action, which might involve petitioning the Constitutional Court to disband the Bhumjaithai Party. The group of accused comprises 138 sitting…
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Durian and gone! Thai jailbird’s dream life stolen by ex-husband
A Thai woman who dreamed of a quiet life growing durians after prison was left in tears, after discovering her dodgy ex-husband flogged her home and orchard behind her back while she was locked up. Fresh out of prison and ready to rebuild her life, 53 year old Ratchaneeporn was hoping to return to her family home in Chumphon and…
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Chadchart warns 20 baht train plan could spark lawsuits
A feel-good fare cut could turn into a legal nightmare. Bangkok’s 20 baht train policy is under fire, again, not for what it promises passengers, but for what it could cost the city in court. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged the government to clarify its compensation plan under the second phase of the 20 baht maximum electric train fare policy.…
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Kuwait ’til dark: Pattaya’s Middle Eastern night riders in firing line
Young Middle Eastern night riders brought late-night mayhem to a Pattaya street this week, sparking a bust-up that had locals fuming and cops revving into action. A confrontation between two gangs of Middle Eastern youths on Soi Yen Sabai on July 16 sent tempers flaring and engines roaring, as the summer influx of Kuwaiti college kids hit Pattaya’s streets with…
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Frenchman in Phuket claims he buried dog alive by mistake
A Frenchman in Phuket defended himself against accusations of animal cruelty, claiming he believed one of his three Siberian Huskies had already died, prompting him to bury it in his yard. A foreign woman yesterday, July 17, took to an online community to raise concerns about the welfare of her neighbour’s Siberian Husky. She reported hearing a distressing howl and later witnessed…
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Trigger-nometry: Songthaew driver goes ballistic in Thai traffic tiff
A hot-headed songthaew driver lost the plot during a road rage bust-up in Chumphon, pulling out a gun and blasting two men in broad daylight after a row over right of way. The chaos erupted at around 3pm yesterday, July 17, just 300 metres from Chumphon City Hall, when a red public taxi pickup suddenly cut in front of a…
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Tit for tat: 3 Indian men call cops on Pattaya bar girl over small boobs
Three Indian men in Pattaya sparked a police call-out after accusing a Thai bar girl of ripping them off, claiming she looked nothing like she did under the bar lights and even complained about her “small boobs.” Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station rushed to a hotel on Soi Pattaya 11, Bang Lamung district, after the men rang for help, demanding…
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Bangkok spa inferno guts building in early morning blaze
Flames ripped through a Bangkok spa at dawn today, sending thick black smoke billowing into the skies above Siam Square and gutting parts of a four-storey building. At 6.40am today, July 18, the 199 emergency hotline received a report of a fire raging at a commercial property on Siam Square Soi 3, off Rama I Road in Pathum Wan district.…
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