The day's most relevant stories from the Philippines and Asia's major countries. Links to original sources.
Thailand authorised 971 foreign businesses and firms linked to more than 271 billion baht in foreign investment during the first nine months of 2026, even as the government intensifies its nationwide crackdown on illegal foreign nominee companies and land ownership. The Ministry
Thailand’s foreign minister has urged China to avoid causing panic with its kidnapping warning to travellers after the Chinese embassy raised concerns about fake job offers targeting Chinese nationals in Thailand. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow a
Suvarnabhumi Airport says its security officers did not open a passenger’s checked luggage following a complaint about suspected tampering on a flight to China, just days after new baggage inspection rules took effect. The airport released its findings today, October 21, after th
A UK court has ordered a worldwide freeze on assets belonging to Vietnamese budget airline VietJet Aviation as an aircraft financing company seeks to recover approximately US$250 million in unpaid judgments arising from a dispute over four Airbus A321 aircraft. The Commercial Cou
Thailand is preparing new rules requiring major ride-hailing and delivery apps to justify service fee increases, after regulators found that some platforms’ charges had risen by as much as 400% over five years. The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) is scheduled to o
Chinese students filed complaints with Thai police yesterday, October 20, over an alleged condo scam that has affected around 70 people, with reported losses approaching 10 million baht. The students’ representatives, accompanied by lawyers, visited the Central Investigation Bure
The Department of Mineral Resources confirmed that dinosaur footprints discovered in Udon Thani date back around 120 million years, marking the province’s first reported discovery of prehistoric tracks of this kind. The discovery began when Thai tourist Pichai Prathetsena photogr
Samsung users in Bangkok can now use their smartphones to tap through BTS Skytrain gates with a Rabbit Virtual Card stored in Samsung Wallet, removing the need to carry a physical transit card. The feature is being rolled out starting today, October 20, and also supports the MRT
Two Thai men accused of murdering two Russian siblings in Pattaya have changed their pleas to guilty on all nine charges, including premeditated murder and rape, after previously denying some of the allegations. The development came during a hearing at Pattaya Provincial Court to
Thailand is moving closer to introducing a 50,000-baht solar panel subsidy for up to one million households after a government screening committee approved a proposed 50-billion-baht funding package. The scheme is expected to go before the Cabinet on October 26, with registration
Thailand’s tourism minister has responded to a Chinese Embassy travel warning about kidnappings and human trafficking, insisting that genuine holidaymakers should be safe in Thailand while promising closer cooperation with Chinese officials. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Ph
Thai immigration officers and the South Korean Embassy joined forces to investigate a suspected call centre scam network after raids in Bangkok led to the arrest of South Korean and Chinese nationals. During a raid on a house in the Watcharapol and Chatuchot area of Sai Mai distr
A police chief in Rayong has been reassigned following raids on four unlicensed karaoke venues that prompted allegations of monthly protection bribe payments to government officials. Police Colonel Nawin Sinthurat was ordered to leave his duties at Pluak Daeng Police Station on S
Virgin Atlantic has launched its first route to Thailand, with direct flights between London Heathrow and Phuket beginning on October 18 as the island enters its high tourism season. The airline marked the inaugural service with a celebration shared on its official Facebook page.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered a nationwide crackdown on nominee land ownership in Thailand, setting a December deadline for investigations into high-risk cases and demanding the compulsory sale of land found to be illegally held on behalf of foreigners. Anutin an
Thailand's state railway runs its floating train to Pa Sak Jolasid Dam in Lopburi on 26 days from November 7 to January 31. Return fares from Bangkok start at 350 baht. The story Floating train to Pa Sak Jolasid Dam 2026: dates, fares and how to book as seen on Thaiger News.
Phuket officials are considering an AI safety system to identify potential threats to tourists, issue early warnings, and help government agencies respond faster to emergencies. The proposal was discussed on Saturday, October 17, but no budget or launch date has been announced. P
Former Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn has warned that Thailand’s tourism industry can no longer sustain the country’s economy on its own, as declining visitor numbers, high household debt and growing regional competition weaken its contribution to
Thai Airways invited passengers affected by flight disruptions and delayed baggage during late-September flooding to submit compensation claims through its customer service channels, with applications accepted from October 16. The airline announced the measure on its official Fac
A UK visa refusal has put a British baby’s planned Christmas trip from Koh Tao in doubt after officials rejected his Myanmar-born mother’s application, preventing the family from travelling together to meet the child’s seriously ill great-grandfather in Lancashire. The refusal ha
Thailand is pursuing a US$200 million World Bank loan to fund solar power installations and energy-saving upgrades in public buildings and industrial areas, as part of new clean energy investment plans announced today, October 18. The proposals follow discussions and agreements r
Thai police have seized around 7 kilogrammes of heroin hidden in drink sachets bound for Australia at a courier facility in Samut Prakan, along with more than 2.5 million yaba pills in a separate operation in Ratchaburi. The heroin seizure followed a tip-off about suspected drug
Three suspects were killed in an exchange of gunfire in Narathiwat’s Si Sakhon district yesterday, October 17, in a clash that also left one police officer dead and two paramilitary rangers wounded. Two of the dead had outstanding arrest warrants and have since been linked by DNA
A man claiming to be a tourist police inspector in Phuket has drawn criticism online after allegedly demanding a free meal at a restaurant and arguing when the owner refused. The Facebook page “แฉยับ ภูเก็ต” (Chae Yap Phuket) shared a video of the confrontation today, October 18,
A woman reportedly stormed into an abbot’s quarters at a temple in Buriram and shouted at him in a jealous rant, prompting villagers to call for an investigation. Villagers in Prasat subdistrict, Ban Kruat district, complained on 17 October about the incident, which was recorded
Thick masses of white foam have piled up across a canal in Pathum Thani, where residents are reporting black, foul-smelling water and fish beginning to die. Residents near Wat Lat Sanun in Lam Luk Ka district alerted reporters at around 7am today, October 18, after large amounts
A Pattaya cafe owner turned the tables on a suspected burglar by inviting him for a beer and keeping him entertained while secretly arranging for police to arrest him early today, October 18. The incident unfolded at around 3.30am at Jae Beer Khon La Yum restaurant near Jomtien B
Police rescued a university student in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai area yesterday, October 17, after a call centre scam gang convinced them to hide in a rented room and stage a fake kidnapping to extort their parents for up to 300,000 baht (US$9,018). Pathumwan Police Station received a
Thai police raided a karaoke venue in Bangkok early yesterday, October 17, arresting 13 Vietnamese nationals and one Thai woman following an undercover investigation into suspected ketamine sales. Officers from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and Khok Khram Police Station raided
Singapore and Kuala Lumpur ranked among the world’s most polluted major cities yesterday, October 17, as haze from Indonesian fires pushed Southeast Asia to its highest regional alert level. Singapore placed second on IQAir’s live ranking, behind Baghdad, with Kuala Lumpur third.
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has paid out 5.2 billion baht (US$156 million) in flood relief to 683,286 households, and will ask the Cabinet on Tuesday, October 20, for 10.5 billion baht more. The money was sent through the Government Savings
The Chinese embassy in Thailand has issued a new travel warning, urging Chinese citizens to plan trips carefully after a series of kidnappings involving Chinese visitors, the South China Morning Post reported on October 18, 2026. The notice singles out online influencers, artists
Immigration police have arrested a Chinese fugitive in Bangkok who allegedly ran a mule account network that supplied more than 133 bank accounts to money laundering gangs, with about 500 million yuan (roughly 2 billion baht, or about US$62 million) passing through them. Officers
Hua Mak Police Station has fined a tuk tuk driver 1,500 baht after he charged two Russian tourists 4,000 baht (US$120) for a ride across Bangkok. The pair transferred only 400 baht when they reached their destination. The fare dispute took place on October 12 at around 11pm near
Five African women have been arrested at a hotel near Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui after immigration officers discovered they had overstayed their visas by up to 799 days. Surat Thani immigration police announced the arrests today, October 16, following a tip-off that foreign women
A South Korean factory owner has been sentenced to three years in prison for seriously injuring a Thai worker with a compressed-air gun earlier this year. The court rejected the employer’s claim that the incident was a prank and criticised his treatment of the injured worker. The
Thai immigration police arrested an American company director at a residence in the Sukhumvit area yesterday, October 15, over allegations of unpaid wages and failure to comply with a labour inspector’s order. The man, identified only as Michael, was wanted under two arrest warra
Twenty Thai workers in Taiwan were arrested for overstaying and working illegally after immigration officers used a woman’s viral TikTok videos to track down their secluded accommodation in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency announced yesterday, October 15. The inves
Two Vietnamese men were arrested in Chanthaburi after crossing into Thailand from Cambodia without passports, later telling officers they had been lured by a high-paying job advertised on Facebook. The men, aged 38 and 25, were found during an overnight patrol on October 14 near
A Chinese man was arrested in Phuket over a visa overstay of 1,793 days, nearly five years, after immigration officers tracked him to a secluded rental room in Karon on Wednesday, October 14. Police also seized passports belonging to other people, mobile phones and knives during
Thailand’s floods are back. Across the North, Northeast and parts of Central Thailand, floodwater is filling streets, homes and agricultural land. As of late September 2026, flash flood warnings were covering 24 provinces, and the images filling social media show people wading, s
New Thailand baggage search rules take effect today, October 16, allowing airport security officers to open suspicious checked luggage without passengers being present. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) confirmed that the measures apply when X-ray screening identifi
November is when Bangkok finally exhales. The rains ease off, the humidity drops a notch, and the city slides into its golden window of cool, dry evenings that locals wait all year for. It is also the month of Loy Krathong, when the Chao Phraya glows with candlelit baskets and th
Thailand and Switzerland are moving to fast-track implementation of their EFTA free trade agreement while advancing plans for about US$120 million in carbon-credit purchases. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Swiss President Guy Parmelin discussed the plans in Bangkok today,
A former Chinese flight attendant studying in Thailand has been arrested in Songkhla after police accused her of acting as a broker for Chinese nationals travelling illegally between Thailand and Malaysia. The 34 year old woman, identified by the pseudonym Pan Yudong, was among f
Having health insurance doesn’t necessarily mean your insurer will pay every hospital bill, even when the treatment seems to fall within coverage. If your health insurance rejected a claim, the explanation may be more specific than simply having no coverage. You could visit a pri
The Philippines has approved competing bills to restrict children’s social media use following a series of deadly school shootings, bringing renewed attention to similar proposals being studied in Thailand amid growing concerns over school violence and online safety. The Philippi
Thai pilgrims stranded at Suvarnabhumi International Airport have begun travelling to Saudi Arabia after Saudia arranged an emergency replacement flight, while others have returned home to await safer travel conditions following missile attacks on Riyadh’s main airport. Deputy In
A Chinese court has sentenced three leading members of a Myanmar scam gang to death over crimes including murder, telecommunications fraud and illegal gambling, with 58 other defendants receiving prison sentences. The rulings were delivered on Tuesday, October 13, by the Quanzhou
Bangkok does not need an excuse to throw a party, but Halloween always brings out the city’s wildest, most creative side. In 2026, the big night lands on Saturday 31 October, so the celebrations spill across the whole weekend, from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November — warehou
Thailand recorded 23.94 million foreign tourist arrivals from January 1 to October 10, leaving another 12.76 million needed to reach its 2026 target of 36.7 million visitors. The Economics Tourism and Sports Division reported that foreign arrivals were down 4.04% from the same pe
A Bangkok tuk tuk fare dispute has divided social media after a driver demanded 4,000 baht from two foreign tourists for a ride following The Weeknd concert, only for the pair to pay 400 baht and call him a “scammer”. The dispute began after the driver picked up the male and fema
Thai police arrested 39 suspects and seized assets worth more than 500 million baht in raids across 11 provinces as part of an investigation into an alleged online investment scam and cross-border money-laundering network. The operation, announced yesterday, October 13, targeted
Thailand’s Finance Ministry has defended its proposed 1,000-baht departure tax after mounting opposition from the tourism industry, arguing that the measure would strengthen government finances and help support tourism. Finance permanent secretary Lavaron Sangsnit said the tax wo
CAAT says suspicious checked bags may be opened without passengers present, with searches recorded and passengers notified afterwards. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has clarified procedures allowing security staff to open checked baggage when screening identifie
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meetings begin in Bangkok today, October 12, bringing more than 15,000 delegates from around the world to the capital for a week of discussions on the global economy. The event, running until October 18 at the Queen Siri
Around 120 foreign tourists die in road accidents in Thailand each year, with 91 deaths already recorded in the first nine months of 2026, according to figures highlighted by road safety campaigners calling for tougher penalties against drink-driving. The figures have raised conc
Police have arrested a suspect in Tak province over the alleged abduction of three Chinese men who travelled to Thailand for promised jobs but were later found bound and blindfolded in a pickup truck near the Myanmar border. The arrest took place yesterday, October 11, after inve
The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has formally opposed a proposed air departure tax for all nationalities, warning that the measure could increase travel costs and weaken demand for air travel to Thailand. THA president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun said on October 9 that the associ
Thailand and Timor-Leste agreed to speed up an air services agreement that could pave the way for direct flights between Bangkok and Dili during talks in Bangkok on October 9. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão at Government H
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