Thaiger News

Several hundred workers marched to Government House Bangkok on Wednesday, May 1, as part of Thailand Labour Day 2026 and wider International Workers’ Day activities. The rally began at Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Road around 8am and moved to Gate 5 of Government House by mid-morning, where organisers submitted demands focused on fair pay, job stability, and stronger social protections. Labour groups including the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation and the Thai Labour Solidarity Confederation led the procession, joined by state enterprise unions, informal sector networks, motorcycle taxi riders, youth, and elderly groups. Around 400 participants wer…

In Chon Buri this week, a BYD service centre dismissed several employees after dashcam footage from April 29 showed a technician unplugging a customer’s cameras and a separate test drive carried out without a seatbelt while using a mobile phone. The incident, shared online by the vehicle’s owner, quickly drew attention and prompted a response from BYD RÊVER Thailand. The distributor confirmed the individuals were dealership staff and said the conduct fell short of BYD service centre standards, adding that oversight of the dealer network will be tightened to prevent a repeat. The customer had brought the car in for routine maintenance and to check an unusual noise under th…

Six people were arrested in Bangkok on April 29 in a Bangkok birth certificate fraud case, with an operational-level official from the Thon Buri District Office among those detained. The coordinated operation, led by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) alongside the Anti-Corruption Division, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), and the Department of Special Investigation, followed court-approved warrants. Officers raided four locations, including a district registration office and several residences, seizing documents for evidence. The investigation began after DOPA received a complai…

On April 28 in central Udon Thani, condo staff tracing a burst water pipe and a strong odour discovered a rented room piled high with rubbish. The Udon Thani condo unit, rented by a 48-year-old local man who lived there with his seven-year-old son, was reportedly used for three to four years at a daily rate of 300 baht. The discovery followed complaints about a smell spreading through the building after water had leaked down to the lower floor. When the door was opened, a heavy, rotten smell filled the corridor. Inside the roughly 4-by-6 metre room, rubbish was stacked about 50 centimetres deep across nearly every surface — floor, bed, television, and bathroom included. S…

Thailand will begin switching off or reducing street lights on selected rural highways nationwide from May 1, the Department of Rural Roads announced. The Thailand street lights measure is framed as an energy saving step amid uncertainty linked to tensions in the Middle East, with officials stressing that any changes will follow safety standards and be limited to low‑risk locations. Department chief Pichit Hoonsiri said on April 25 that only rural highways meeting specific criteria will see reduced lighting. Eligible stretches are those with low night-time traffic, no record of secondary accidents, and without higher-risk features such as intersections, sharp curves, or d…

Thai immigration officers arrested a 28-year-old Israeli man on Koh Samui on Wednesday, April 29, following coordination with Interpol and the Israeli Embassy. Authorities say the suspect is a senior figure in an Israeli criminal organisation known as The Avengers. The Immigration Bureau confirmed the operation the following day, April 30, noting that the arrest forms part of a broader Royal Thai Police drive against transnational crime affecting Koh Samui and other southern provinces. According to Israeli authorities, the man has prior convictions and is wanted in several ongoing cases. Allegations include theft, fraud, unlawful possession of weapons, and drug offences. …

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be released on parole from Khlong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok on May 11, with a four-month probation period to follow before full release in September. The Ministry of Justice confirmed on April 29 that Thaksin is among 859 inmates approved for parole, citing standard criteria—age over 70, health conditions, low risk, and less than one year remaining—along with evidence of improved behaviour. He has served roughly two-thirds of his one-year sentence, making him eligible under correctional rules on parole. Authorities say Thaksin will return to his family residence, Ban Chan Song La, in the Bang Phlat district of Bangkok to …

Thai authorities warned on April 28 that Thailand faces an elevated risk of prolonged dry conditions as El Niño strengthens through the year and into 2027. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) and the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) said the Thailand drought outlook points to hotter, drier weather from July, with the impact likely to peak between November and December. While officials stressed there is no confirmation of a “super El Niño,” the agencies cautioned that El Niño trends are clear enough for early preparation. ONWR said water management plans are being drawn up two years in advance to help stretch supplies through 2…

Police in Chiang Mai arrested two Chinese nationals and a Thai woman on April 29 after a housemaid reported being coerced into surrendering her bank account for use as a mule account. The victim told officers she complied after her two children were separated from her inside a house in Mueang district. Investigators say the Chinese scammers allegedly organised the setup through a fake social media job post, and are now also probing linked money laundering activity. The incident highlights how quick-transfer banking and staged job offers can be exploited in Chiang Mai and elsewhere in Thailand. According to police, the scheme began when a Thai woman posted an advert offeri…

On April 29 at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, a 19-year-old Taiwanese woman was detained after wildlife officers discovered 30 Indian star tortoises strapped to her body ahead of a VietJet Air flight to Taipei. The interception, carried out by airport wildlife officials working with customs and police from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, highlights ongoing wildlife smuggling attempts through Thailand’s major gateways. Within the first search, officers noted suspicious behaviour and ordered a more thorough check. They found the protected tortoises taped to restrict movement, placed in cloth pouches, and attached to various parts of her…

Last week in Thailand, a Thai TikTok creator went viral after revealing she makes more than 10,000 baht per month selling mosquito keychains. The short videos, posted on her TikTok account, show how the unusual souvenirs are made and quickly drew widespread attention across Thai social media. Interest surged as viewers shared the clips, highlighting the novelty of turning a common household pest into a small craft item with a glow-in-the-dark backdrop. According to the creator, the idea started as a personal experiment. She had a habit of keeping mosquitoes she had killed to observe them briefly, then tried embedding a few in resin as a joke. Friends and family responded …

Two naked tourists were seen walking along a roadside in the Kata-Laemsai area of Phuket on April 28, prompting an online backlash and questions about the Phuket police response. Photos, shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page, showed the pair without clothing and smoking while other members of their group remained clothed nearby. Thai passersby reportedly tried to warn the men, but there was no visible reaction. The incident quickly drew attention in Phuket, where residents and business owners are sensitive to how visitor behaviour reflects on the island’s image. The Facebook post drew close to 3,000 reactions and around 700 comments within hours. Many commenters asked …

A four-year-old girl was found unresponsive inside a parked car outside a home in the Thepharak 5 Community of Mueang Khon Kaen on April 28, with police alerted at around 2.30pm. Rescuers and officers from Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station attended the scene in northeastern Thailand but were unable to revive her. The Khon Kaen case highlights hot car risks in Thailand, where a sealed vehicle can quickly become dangerous for a child. According to officers, security camera footage captured the child entering the bronze-gold sedan alone through the driver’s door and closing it. Investigators believe she remained inside for an extended period. Police said a lack of oxygen is su…

Community leaders inspected a pedestrian bridge in Pathum Thani’s Sam Khok district on April 28 after complaints about sexual activity and filming on the site. The check focused on a footbridge in Chiang Rak Yai along the Udon Ratthaya Expressway frontage road. On the bridge, the team found items linked to public indecency in Thailand, including used condoms, underwear, lubricant packaging, wet tissues, and an eggplant fitted with a condom left beside the walkway. According to the local village chief, the area is patrolled regularly and the items were likely left overnight. An assistant village chief said the spot has been informally referred to by offenders as a “sky hom…

A 40,000-litre oil tanker overturned on a curve in Nan’s Thung Chang district on April 27, spilling about 5,000 litres of fuel before crews contained the Nan oil tanker spill and reopened the road. The incident happened around 10.30am on the Thung Chang–Chaloem Phra Kiat route in Ban Chaloem Rat, Pon subdistrict, a corridor used for Laos fuel transport. Officials from the Provincial Energy Office and local agencies moved quickly to secure the site and manage traffic. Initial checks found the semi-trailer was en route to Laos when it lost control entering a bend and tipped, causing the trailer to swing and rupture a portion of the load. District authorities closed the affe…

A 17-year-old girl was rescued on Sunday night, April 26, after she fell onto a road while clinging to a moving pickup truck near Mab Prachan Reservoir in Pattaya’s Bang Lamung district. The incident happened at about 8.45pm and was captured on video by a 23-year-old motorcyclist who stopped to help. The clip shows the teenager holding onto the side of the pickup and striking the vehicle as it continued forward. The driver allegedly swerved, the girl fell, and the vehicle sped off. She suffered minor scrapes and bruises and was taken to hospital for checks. According to the witness, the girl said she had met a 30-year-old man on April 23 who offered to help her find work …

A brawl broke out between Thai and Chinese workers at a Rayong construction site in Map Kha, Nikhom Phatthana district on April 26, leaving several people with minor injuries. Video from the scene showed dozens of workers in reflective vests and helmets confronting each other near a motorcycle parking area and a large truck. Some onlookers tried to separate the groups as the dispute escalated. Authorities say the clash involved multiple people and began as a verbal argument that turned physical. Local sources told reporters the trouble may have stemmed from ongoing coordination problems between a Thai site supervisor and a Chinese site supervisor. Differences in working m…

CCTV footage from a cannabis shop in Ao Nang, Krabi captured a cannabis shop theft on April 27, showing a foreign man taking a small product while a staff member slept. The incident unfolded in the afternoon when the man entered the store, moved through the display area, and inspected items as the employee dozed on a sofa nearby. The shop owner later shared the recording to warn other businesses in the area, noting that the suspect’s face was clearly visible on camera. According to the owner, the video shows the man picking up a small plastic tube believed to contain a pre-rolled cannabis product, putting it back after glancing around for cameras, then taking it again and…

On April 27 in Patong, Phuket, several foreign tourists were photographed exposing themselves from the back of a moving tuk tuk, turning toward traffic and dropping their trousers. The images, posted by the Phuket Times Facebook page, quickly drew criticism and calls for police action. The people involved were not identified, and the original source of the photos was not made clear. The Phuket tuk tuk clip has renewed discussion in Patong about public indecency and how authorities handle rowdy behavior in busy nightlife areas. Under Section 388 of Thailand’s Criminal Law, acts of public indecency can lead to fines of up to 5,000 baht. Commenters noted that enforcement oft…

On April 26, a prank video from the Phra Pradaeng Songkran celebrations in Samut Prakan showed a Thai influencer smearing a white paste on festivalgoers, prompting swift criticism online. The clip appeared to show tile grout powder being mixed with water before being applied to people as if it were din sor pong, the traditional clay powder sometimes used during Songkran. The incident has since drawn comment from authorities, including the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, and sparked a wider discussion about safety and responsibility during Thailand’s biggest water festival. In the video, the creator pours a dry powder into a container, adds water, and then spreads the mi…

Police in Nakhon Ratchasima arrested two Chinese suspects on April 27 after a daytime gold shop robbery in Dan Kwian, Chok Chai district, was traced through cigarette butts evidence. Chok Chai Police, working with Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police, said the robbery happened around 10.10am, when two masked men entered the shop, threatened staff with a handgun, smashed a display with a hammer, and grabbed about 30 gold rings worth roughly 380,000 baht. CCTV captured the pair wearing black long-sleeve shirts, shorts, trainers, and balaclavas, and showed them fleeing in a white Toyota sedan. At the scene, investigators found several cigarette butts of Chinese brands, which,…

Four villagers died inside an old well at an oil palm plantation in Khura subdistrict, Khura Buri district, Phang Nga province, on April 26. Authorities suspect toxic gas or oxygen depletion after the men entered the confined space to clean it and quickly lost consciousness. Phang Nga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation officials said they were alerted at about 11.30am, after rescuers reported multiple victims in the well. Specialist teams later recovered the bodies with help from local rescue foundations. Initial assessments found the well was around six metres deep. Early rescue attempts were hindered by the narrow shaft and poor air quality at the bottom. Once equipment…

A 24-year-old nurse in Udon Thani contacted police on April 26 after a delivery rider remained outside her dormitory and sent messages asking to come up to her room. The incident unfolded at a residence in Mueang Udon Thani district after a lunchtime order. According to the nurse, she had requested the food be left at the bottom of the stairs, but the delivery rider messaged through the app asking for her Line contact. When she questioned the reason, he said he wanted to chat. She asked for his phone number instead, which he provided. He then followed up to say he was still at the dormitory, asked which room she was in, and said he wanted to come up to see her cat — a cla…

A Phuket restaurant disturbance ended with a foreign man detained by Patong police on April 26 after a scuffle with a manager was captured on video and shared on Facebook. The incident unfolded at a hot pot venue in Patong, where the man, whose nationality has not been disclosed, was seen repeatedly entering and leaving the premises before tensions rose. Staff and witnesses reported that he harassed customers, prompting the manager to intervene; footage shows the manager, dressed in a white shirt, striking the man as diners and employees backed away. Officers arrived soon after and removed the individual, taking him to Patong Police Station. Police said the case remains u…

A pair of trainers was taken from outside a home in Khok Tanote, Karon, Phuket at about 10.27am on April 26, according to CCTV footage later shared online. The short clip, posted to the Phuket Times Facebook page and circulated on April 27, appears to show a short‑haired foreign woman picking up the shoes, placing them in a bag, and walking away along the footpath. The owner said the Nike trainers, valued at roughly 4,500 baht, had been washed and left outside to dry. The footage is not crystal clear but offers enough detail for a general description: the woman was wearing a white tank top, shorts, and flip‑flops, and carried a brightly coloured bag. The incident unfolded…