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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Thailand plans 80 billion baht airport expansion to become aviation hub
Thailand airport expansion projects worth around 80 billion baht are being prepared as the government moves ahead with plans to position the country as a regional aviation hub. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn recently met with Airports of Thailand (AOT) executives and related officials to discuss aviation development projects aimed at improving airport facilities and passenger capacity.…
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Thailand News | Nationwide checks ordered after Foreign worker permit concerns, Thailand’s first Pokémon centre coming to Bangkok in 2026
In the news today, following the raid earlier this week at a childcare facility on Koh Phangan, the labor minister has ordered a nationwide inspection of foreign workers, in ASEAN news Thailand is moving to cancel its longstanding maritime agreement with Cambodia, in Phuket, a foreign man begging with a child has brought calls for action from locals, at Wat…
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Police seize heroin hidden in Thai clothing sets bound for Australia
Police in Phuket seized more than six kilogrammes of heroin hidden inside 48 Thai clothing sets on April 30 after a suspicious parcel shipment from Loei was sent to a house in Sakhu, Thalang, allegedly for onward delivery to Australia. The shipment, packed in two sacks, was sent through a private delivery company from Chiang Khan district, Loei, to a…
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Several figures enter race ahead of Bangkok governor election in June
Several candidates began presenting their campaigns ahead of the Bangkok governor election 2026, while the current governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, announced that he would start his campaign after his term ends this month. The terms of Chadchart and members of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council are scheduled to expire on May 21. Elections for the Bangkok governor and 50 council members representing…
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Foreign tourists filmed in alleged sex act in Pattaya sea
A group of foreign tourists, believed to be Russian nationals, were filmed allegedly engaging in sexual activity in the sea in Pattaya despite repeated warnings from bystanders, according to a witness who recorded the incident. The footage circulated online and showed eight foreign tourists, four men and four women, allegedly entering the water together while intoxicated. No source has confirmed…
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Petrol station owner raises alarm after man smashes head on plate, leaves
A Thai man smashed his head into a food plate while eating at a restaurant in a petrol station in Saraburi, prompting concern over his mental health and safety. CCTV footage from a chicken rice shop inside a petrol station in Nong Khae district, Saraburi province, circulated on social media and attracted attention from several Thai media outlets. The man,…
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Validation Check 2026-05-05 11:07:31
This is a validation post. Time: 2026-05-05 11:07:31
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Donald Duck Bay in Phang Nga ranks among world’s top 10 beaches
Three Thai beaches are included in the 2026 World’s Best Beaches list by Global Travel Experts, with Donald Duck Bay in Phang Nga ranked among the world’s top 10. The annual list is compiled from votes by more than 1,000 travel professionals worldwide. Beaches are assessed based on criteria such as uniqueness, wildlife, unspoiled natural environment, natural soundscape, accessibility, calm…
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Tourists told to move by Wat Arun photographers in fresh complaint
A tourist complaint has put photographers at Wat Arun back in the spotlight after visitors claimed they were told to move from public areas to make way for paying photo clients. The incident was shared on social media on May 5, with claims that a group of photographers at Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan in Bangkok told tourists to move away…
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Foreign scammer targets Phuket restaurants with confusion trick
At least three restaurant owners in Phuket fell victim to a foreign scammer who reportedly used confusion tactics to take money from the victims. A restaurant owner in Phuket, identified as Benz Paitoon, shared details of the incident on Facebook along with CCTV footage yesterday, May 4. He said the suspect, whose nationality is unknown, entered his shop and purchased…
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Mystery body found in Buriram school toilet days before reopening
An unidentified decomposed body was found in a school toilet in Buriram yesterday, May 4, with police estimating the man had been dead for at least seven days. The discovery comes as the school prepares to reopen next week. Police from Mueang Buriram Police Station were alerted at 11am by a village assistant in Kalanta subdistrict, who arrived with rescue…
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Pokémon Centre Bangkok to open at centralwOrld in 2026
Thailand will get its first Pokémon Centre in 2026, with Pokémon Centre Bangkok set to open at centralwOrld in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok. Pokémon (Thailand) has signed a lease agreement with Central Pattana for the new Bangkok branch. The deal was signed by Shunsuke Sasaki, director of Pokémon (Thailand), and Isareit Chirathivat, Central Pattana’s Head of Leasing – Fashion &…
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Thailand video news | Weekend run of foreign dine-and-dash incidents, Foreign couple rescued from Krabi mangrove after ignoring safety advice
In Thailand video news, Alex covers news stories from across Thailand. The stories include a wave of dine-and-dash incidents involving tourists in Phuket, also on the island a couple was filmed performing lewd acts on each other in an open taxi, over in Pattaya a foreign man was detained after flying off the handle over a bill dispute, on Pattaya…
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Cheap power bank explodes, nearly burns Samut Prakan home
A power bank explosion nearly set a home on fire in Samut Prakan on May 3 after the cheap device bought online caught fire while the owner’s wife was using her phone nearby. The incident happened at a house in Bang Sao Thong district. The woman was sitting inside the house with the power bank on a table when it…
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Foreign couple held after sex on moving tuk tuk in Phuket
A foreign couple was detained yesterday, May 4, after they were caught on a viral video engaging in sexual activity while travelling on tuk tuk in Patong, Phuket. A Phuket tuk tuk incident involving a foreign couple engaging in sexual activity in public led to their arrest yesterday, May 4, after video of the incident, recorded by a passerby, circulated…
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Mercedes-Benz driver flees after damaging police car clamp
Police are searching for a Mercedes-Benz driver who damaged a car clamp after parking in a prohibited area in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, and fleeing without paying a fine. Locals reported the incident to Hat Yai Police Station after witnessing the driver forcefully remove the clamp before leaving the scene. The incident occurred at around 10.30am yesterday, May 4, on…
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Foreign tourist attacks Thai man over cannabis warning in Pattaya
A foreign tourist, who claimed to be a boxer, attacked a Thai man on Pattaya Beach yesterday, May 4, after being warned not to smoke cannabis in a crowded public area. The incident took place in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, and was reported after video footage of the confrontation circulated on social media. The dispute reportedly…
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Phuket restaurants hit by wave of foreign dine-and-dash cases over single weekend
Three dine-and-dash incidents involving foreign tourists were reported in Phuket around the same time, raising concerns among local business operators and prompting calls for action from police and officials. The first case occurred on Saturday, May 2, with details later shared on social media yesterday, May 3, by a restaurant owner. She said two foreign customers ordered stir-fried noodles and…
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Truck carrying lithium batteries catches fire, damaging expressway in Chachoengsao
A fire involving a truck carrying lithium batteries caught fire yesterday, May 3, on the Bangna-Trat Road in Chachoengsao, causing damage to an elevated expressway, prompting road closures and a safety inspection. Bang Pakong Police Station officers were alerted to the incident at around 7.30pm on the left lane of Thepparat Road, also known as Bangna-Trat Road, in Bang Pakong…
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Thai man arrested in Chiang Mai over girlfriend’s murder
A Thai man was arrested in Chiang Mai yesterday, May 3, after the murder of his girlfriend at a condominium in Nonthaburi province. The victim, 25 year old Panitsuda, also known as Dream, was discovered by her mother in a room on the fourth floor of an eight-storey condominium. The mother reported the incident to Bang Bua Thong Police Station.…
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Foreign couple rescued from Krabi mangrove after allegedly ignoring safety warning
A foreign couple became trapped in a mangrove forest at Ao Thalane in Krabi during a receding tide after reportedly ignoring safety instructions from a tour guide. The incident took place at Ao Thalane in Krabi province, a popular ecotourism site known for kayak trips through mangrove forests. Tours typically last around 30 minutes and require close attention to tide…
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Thailand hits 60-year investment record as Amazon, Google, BYD and others bet big
If you only looked at the investment scoreboard for Southeast Asian economies last year, chances are you would probably want to skip over Thailand. While Vietnam was sprinting ahead with 7% growth and Indonesia held steady at 5%, Thailand was limping with a meagre 2.4%. With the IMF recently cutting its 2026 projection to a dismal 1.6%, the narrative that…
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Pork fat spill leaves 5 cars sliding and crashing on Nakhon Pathom bridge
Five vehicles crashed yesterday, May 3, after pork fat was found scattered across a bridge on Petchkasem Road in Nakhon Pathom province. No injuries were reported. Dashcam footage shared on TikTok by user @9876543210ix showed traffic conditions at the time of the crash. The driver was travelling in the left lane, which became blocked by a pickup truck. The driver…
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Thailand News | Chiang Mai police arrest man accused of killing homeless victims, Cambodia crackdown sends 635 Thai nationals back home
In the news today, we have two separate shocking murder cases coming out of Chiang Mai involving homeless victims and Myanmar migrant workers, then a helicopter crashing and catching fire near a BTS maintenance center, also, arrests have been made over alleged child trafficking at a Pathum Thani cat spa, in economic news Thailand’s wage growth is struggling to keep…
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17 year old Thai man killed in sign collapse in extended Songkran event in Saraburi
A sign collapsed during a thunderstorm on April 30, killing a 17 year old man and injuring 11 others at an extended Songkran event in Khok Sawang subdistrict, Mueang district, Saraburi province. The incident occurred at around 4pm at Pong Siri Market before the event began. A large number of people were waiting at the entrance, beneath a sign, to secure spots for…
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Samut Prakan helicopter crash injures pilot, mechanic
Two people escaped with minor injuries after a helicopter crashed and caught fire near a BTS maintenance centre in Samut Prakan at about 9.10am today, May 3. Rescue workers, ambulances, and first aid equipment were sent to the scene to assist the injured and transfer them to nearby hospitals. Officials sealed off the area around the crash site to prevent…
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Icelandic man found dead under tree on Koh Larn
An Icelandic man was found dead near Nual Beach on Koh Larn, Chon Buri, yesterday, May 2, with police treating the case as a suspected suicide pending further examination. Pattaya police were alerted at about 10am after a foreign man was found dead hanging under a tree in a vacant plot near the beach. Forensic police, investigators, a doctor, and…
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Cambodia scam crackdown sends 635 Thais back home
Cambodia released 635 Thai nationals back to Thailand through the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo, on April 30 after they were detained in a crackdown on online scam networks. The first group of 350 people crossed at about 4.50pm. The remaining 285 followed at about 6.20pm, completing the handover agreed by Thai and Cambodian officials. Thai…
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Koh Pha Ngan raid exposes illegal school, unregistered foreign teachers
A Koh Pha Ngan childcare centre was raided on May 1 after officials found it was allegedly operating outside the scope of its licence with unregistered foreign teachers and 163 children enrolled. Surat Thani Immigration police, Koh Pha Ngan police, district officials, and Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 officers inspected the property. The centre was licensed as a childcare facility operated…
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Korat officials arrested over fake birth certificates for Chinese children
Three civil servants in Nakhon Ratchasima have been arrested for their alleged role in issuing fake Thai birth certificates and transferring household registrations for more than 10 Chinese children. The Department of Provincial Administration confirmed on Saturday that investigations had identified 13 fraudulent registrations so far, with Thai men listed as fathers denying any biological connection to the children. Arrest…
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