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.
-
Mentally ill and starving girl snatches cash from victim at Buriram ATM
A Thai woman forgave a thief who snatched 1,800 baht from her at an ATM in Buriram province, after finding the girl suffered from mental illness and was living in poverty. The 49 year old victim, identified as Yuad, called officers from Prakhonchai Police Station to investigate theft at an ATM outside a bank in Prakhonchai district after the incident. Police…
-
Thailand Ice Hockey Association accused of budget fraud
Athletes and the owner of the Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena (TIIHA) in Bangkok are calling for an investigation into alleged budget fraud involving the Ice Hockey Association of Thailand (IHAT). TIIHA owner Jumphol Darusakdapong filed a complaint with the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), alleging IHAT sought a 700,000 baht budget from the Sports Authority of Thailand…
-
Eurovision launches Asia edition with final planned in Bangkok
The Eurovision Song Contest is launching Eurovision Asia for the first time, with broadcasters from 10 countries confirming participation and a grand final planned in Bangkok on November 14. Participating countries listed on the contest website include South Korea, Bhutan, Thailand and the Philippines, with the organisers noting that more countries are expected to join. Each country will first run…
-
In-flight credit card theft hits 80 cases as losses pass 8 million baht
Immigration police have warned travellers about in-flight credit card theft after reporting a significant rise in cases on short international flights, with more than 80 incidents and losses exceeding 8 million baht. Yesterday, March 30, Pol Col Phongthorn Phongrattanant, deputy commander and spokesperson of Immigration Division 2, said the Immigration Bureau issued the alert after detecting a notable increase in…
-
11 South Korean call centre scammers arrested in Bangkok
Police arrested 11 South Korean nationals after they operated a call centre scam in Bangkok luxury houses, targeting victims in South Korea. The arrests were made yesterday, March 30, during raids carried out by officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) with cooperation from the South Korean Embassy in Bangkok. Police said the investigation and information-sharing into South Korean…
-
BTS responds after viral post shames passenger over sandals
BTS Skytrain has moved to shut down an online debate over footwear, saying any shoes are acceptable on the train after a post criticising back-strap sandals went viral yesterday, March 30. The debate began when a social media user shared a photo of a passenger in back-strap sandals on a BTS train and complained about it. The user wrote, “Honestly,…
-
Muay Thai gym reports suspected poisoning after fighter hospitalised
A Muay Thai gym alleged its boxer was drugged before a bout at Siam Om Noi Boxing Stadium in Samut Sakhon province on March 28, after the fighter fell ill and later sought medical treatment. The official Facebook page of Avatar PK Saenchai gym, posted a photo of its kickboxer Suppachai Sakunwong, also known as Pharuehatnoi S. Sommai, lying in…
-
Warning issued after toxic fire jellyfish detected in Phuket waters
Deputy Prime Minister and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin warned the public yesterday, March 30, after poisonous fire jellyfish were found in high density around Koh Aeo, Phuket. Suchart said the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) reported toxic jellyfish dispersed at a relatively high concentration of about 100 per square metre, floating near the surface at…
-
Thai stepfather arrested for fatal assault on 3 year old boy
A Thai stepfather confessed to assaulting his three year old boy by beating him and pressing a cigarette on the child’s body and genitals but claimed that he did not intend to kill the boy. The case came to light after the boy, identified as Phupha, died and his two grandmothers sought help from the Pavena Foundation for Children and…
-
Belgian man found dead after fall from eight-storey Pattaya condo
Police are investigating the death of a Belgian man who fell from a height at an eight-storey Pattaya condominium in Na Kluea, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, on March 29. Pattaya police and tourist police were called to the building at about 8pm and coordinated with Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Foundation to attend the scene. The man, identified as a…
-
Search finds no trace of missing Thai crew after Mayuree Naree attack
Three Thai crew members from the Mayuree Naree cargo ship remain missing after the ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, with the vessel’s operator saying an extensive search found no trace of them. The Mayuree Naree was attacked by the Iranian military while departing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and travelling to India. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary…
-
Foreign man held after alleged rampage on Pattaya Walking Street
Police were called yesterday, March 30, after a foreign man reportedly became aggressive and tried to attack members of the public and tourists on Pattaya Walking Street in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station received the report at 9am and went to the scene with additional personnel. The man, believed to be about…
-
Thai stepfather allegedly abuses 3 year old boy to death in Chon Buri
A Thai stepfather allegedly abused a three year old boy to death at an accommodation in Chon Buri on March 26, and remains at large. The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women accompanied two grandmothers, aged 50 and 43, to file a complaint at Nong Kham Police Station yesterday, March 28, against the stepfather of their three year old grandson,…
-
Thai couple alleges peeping incident at Koh Lipe resort
A Thai couple warned others on TikTok after a woman said an alleged resort worker spied on her while she was changing inside a bungalow on Koh Lipe in Satun province. The woman, identified only as Anna, shared details on her TikTok account @arnabarbie on Saturday, March 28. She said the incident happened at a resort on Koh Lipe where…
-
American man convicted in Thai man’s death released
A court in the United States ordered the release on probation of an African-American man convicted over the death of the 84 year old Thai man Vicha Ratanaphakdee in San Francisco in 2021. The judge ruled he had already completed the custodial portion of his eight-year sentence after receiving credit for time served and placed him on five years of…
-
Thai victim loses 25,000 baht after falling for Saddam fortune scam
A Thai man lost 25,000 baht after a scammer persuaded him to pay a tax to secure US$1.5 million, or about 49 million baht, allegedly taken from the vault of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The victim filed a complaint with officers at Phetchakasem Police Station, saying he transferred the money to a woman on March 20. He told police…
-
Family seeks answers after 7 year old boy dies after swimming class
The family of a seven year old student criticised teachers at Saint Joseph Yannawa School in Bangkok after the boy drowned during a swimming class on March 25. The boy, identified as Mon, passed away and was found underwater at the school’s swimming pool. His family shared the case with the Facebook page พระราม 3 ต้องรอด (Rama II must survive),…
-
Thailand clinches deal with Iran for safe oil route via Hormuz
Thailand has reached a Strait of Hormuz oil deal with Iran to allow Thai oil tankers to transit the waterway safely, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday, March 28, as the government adjusts its response to energy market volatility. Anutin announced the agreement during a press briefing titled “One month of global crisis: Thailand’s plan for a changed world”…
-
Finnish tourist loses Rolex watch and cash to Pattaya bar workers
A Finnish tourist reported the theft of a Rolex watch worth more than 700,000 baht and 5,000 baht in cash after bringing two Thai bar workers back to his hotel in the Jomtien area of Pattaya in the early hours of today, March 30. The victim, 30 year old Kenneth Mikael Konttinen, filed a complaint at Mueng Pattaya Police Station…
-
Kanchanaburi sting nets two Myanmar suspects in prostitution case
Police in Kanchanaburi arrested two Myanmar men on March 27, after an undercover sting targeting a prostitution arrangement network in a border area, with a 15 year old identified as a human trafficking victim. The investigation began after police received information that a group of Myanmar youths were allegedly bringing women across the border for prostitution in Nong Lu, Sangkhla…
-
Thailand PM apologises for fuel issues, lifts price caps
Thailand’s prime minister has apologised for the country’s fuel management issues, blaming prolonged disruptions on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Anutin Charnvirakul said the decision to end fuel price caps was taken to curb oil smuggling and ease shortages. Speaking at a press conference at Government House in Bangkok on Saturday, Anutin addressed the situation following a month…
-
Songkran festival to boost Thailand’s economy with 30 billion baht
Thailand’s Songkran Festival Expected to Generate Over 30 Billion Baht This April Thailand’s Songkran festival is set to draw hundreds of thousands of tourists and generate over 30 billion baht in economic circulation this April, with celebrations running from April 11 to 15. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) projects a 6% increase in revenue compared to last year. Despite…
-
Long queues at Phuket Airport raise ‘special paid lane’ questions
Claims of a “special paid lane” at outbound immigration in Phuket have circulated online after photos showed long queues at Phuket International Airport over the weekend, according to reports yesterday, March 28. Images shared from the Phuket Info Centre page showed large numbers of tourists queuing at the Immigration Bureau checkpoint on the international departures side. The images prompted widespread…
-
Thai authorities target fake local businesses in Krabi tourism sector
Thailand’s Department of Business Development has stepped up its crackdown on nominee businesses in Koh Lanta, Krabi, deploying a multi-agency team to investigate foreign-owned operations disguised as local companies. On March 26 and 27, investigators from the department were joined by the Department of Tourism, Krabi’s Tourism and Sports Office, the Tourist Police Bureau, Immigration Bureau, and Krabi’s Commerce Office.…
-
Transgender women flee after brawl with foreign tourists in Pattaya
A late-night fight involving foreign tourists and a group of transgender women was reported near Walking Street in Pattaya early today, March 29, prompting a response from Pattaya Tourist Police. At 3.30am, Tourist Police stationed at Pattaya Walking Street received a report from members of the public about a brawl near the entrance area by the old South Pattaya pier…
-
Cicada Covid variant prompts caution as cases rise abroad
A Thai health official has warned the public to monitor the new Covid-19 variant known as Cicada, which has been detected in several countries including Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Jessada Boonyawongwiwat, deputy director of Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, said the World Health Organisation has urged caution over the variant due to its potential to spread rapidly and…
-
Man found dead in Udon Thani field after headshot
A man was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in a field in Ban Dung district, Udon Thani, on March 27. His wife disclosed his alleged involvement with drug dealers, while police are also investigating a land sale dispute and a missing relative as part of the case. Police Colonel Phongphan Nakwa, along with officers from Ban…
-
Teen’s tragic death sparks call for school safety investigation
A 14 year old girl died following a motorcycle accident after her school allowed her to leave campus without notifying her guardian, raising concerns about student safety protocols and prompting calls for a formal investigation. On March 27, the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women received a complaint from a 43 year old aunt, who travelled from Saraburi province carrying…
-
Oil company accused of inflating fuel prices by 10 baht per litre
An Ang Thong oil company has been reported to police for allegedly overcharging on fuel, adding nearly 10 baht per litre above the permitted transport cost of 0.16 baht per litre. On March 27, Sikan Fueangfung, the Ang Thong commerce official and secretary of the provincial committee on prices of goods and services, met with Police Lieutenant Colonel Mongkol Pantaa,…
-
Bangkok Airways hikes ticket prices amid rising oil costs
Bangkok Airways is raising ticket prices and adding fuel surcharges from April 1 as oil prices climb to between US$170 and US$180 per barrel. The airline is hedging 30% of its fuel costs and is keeping a close watch on the situation, warning that its annual plan could need revising if prices stay elevated. CEO Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said domestic fares…
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.