Hot News
Thailand hot news, breaking stories, crime, politics, tourism, and business—stay updated with in-depth reports and exclusive interviews on the latest events across the country. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Thailand news source.
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Old “falangs” are Pattaya beach vendors’ lifeline in coronavirus downturn
Old expats and Thais are the only thing keeping Pattaya beach vendor in business, through the coronavirus tourism downturn. One vendor, Pha Aree, who has been renting beach chairs and umbrellas for 30 years, says she’s survived more than her share of crises, the tourism downturns during the 2004 tsunami, SARS, political strife and numerous military coups. She’ll get through…
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Gold mining company found guilty for avoiding environmental report
Former director-general of the Department of Primary Industries and Mines Somkiat Phuthongchaiyarit, has been found guilty of colluding with five other parties for trying to avoid the mandatory environmental impact assessment (EIA). Secretary-general Worawit Sukboon of The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) says… “All 6 members had a hand in the unlawful approval of a request by Akara Mining Company (or…
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Grab driver turns himself in over missing wallet: cash still missing
A Grab taxi driver has turned himself in to police in Chiang Mai police after a Dutch tourist lost 500 euros at an exchange booth in the city. The 27 year old Duct national, identified as “Edwin T.” reported to police after dropping his wallet at a booth at in the city’s Saphan Lek on Monday. CCTV showed a Grab…
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Scorcher in the North, weekend storms predicted
Thailand’s Meteorological Department said today that a thermal low is covering upper Thailand, causing hot to very hot weather there. Meanwhile, weak easterly winds across the Gulf are bringing less rain to the South. From Saturday to Monday, another high pressure system from China will extend to upper Thailand and the South China Sea, where many areas of the upper…
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Thai stocks tumbles, SET drops nearly 6%
Thailand’s stock exchange, the SET, plunged yesterday along with the region’s other bourses. The index dropped amid concerns over the growing global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The SET dived 74.57 points, or nearly 6%, to 1,175.32 points. This all happened shortly after the open in a turnover of 9 billion baht. The SET50 index, Thailand’s top 50 listed companies, faired even…
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Thailand News Today, Wednesday, March 11, 2020
400 billion baht stimulus announced to boost Thai economy Yesterday’s Thai cabinet meeting gave the greenlight to a new stimulus package. The government expects the approved 400 billion baht to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Last week’s 2,000 baht cash stimulus proposal, which was largely roasted in Thai social media after being proposed by the economic ministers,…
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Thailand cancels visas-on-arrival and some visa exemptions for 21 countries
On top of all the changes announced in the past few days for passengers arriving in Thailand, today the government has announced an additional measure. The Thai government has now cancelled the automatic granting of the visa-on-arrival for 18 countries as well as cancelling visa exemption for three other countries in additional efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.…
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400 billion baht stimulus announced to boost Thai economy
“The package will inject an estimated 400 billion baht into the economy in a bid to return growth to positive territory.” Yesterday’s Thai cabinet meeting gave the greenlight to a new stimulus package. The government expects the approved 400 billion baht to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Last week’s 2,000 baht cash stimulus proposal, which was largely…
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Chiang Mai gets world podium positions two days in a row, for air pollution
Hot AND polluted. Chiang Mai scored the top position again as the most air polluted city in the world yesterday, according to AirVisual.com. Today it has lost the top spot, but only just. Today’s temperature will again soar close to 40C with the rest of the week continuing to sizzle with almost no respite from the wind (forecast below). Saturday’s…
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Hotting up in northern Thailand
Hot, damn hot! The Thailand Meteorological Department says that a “thermal low” currently covers upper Thailand, while westerly winds prevail over the region, making the weather hot to very hot in some parts of the North, the Northeast, the Central and the East regions. Unpredictable weather and hotter days are normal for this time of the year leading up to…
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Thai Airways passengers, flying from ‘at risk’ destinations, now require health certificates
Thai Airways is now demanding passengers, departing on their planes from China, Italy and South Korea, to Thailand, provide the national airline with health certificates before they can receive their boarding passes. The announcement was the airlines’ latest reaction to the growing coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. Here’s The Thaiger’s daily Coronavirus update HERE. The new compliance relates to Thai flights out…
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Cabinet meets today to discuss power costs stimulus
Amongst other pressing issues at today’s cabinet meeting, the Thai PM and ministers will consider four economic measures proposed by the Energy Ministry that would assist low-income earners, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. The measures have been collated and endorsed y the Energy Policy Management Committee for consideration at today’s meeting. The four measures for consideration include a…
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Thai PM Prayut quashes 2,000 baht handout package
Easy come, easy go. Well that was quick. Last Friday’s announcements for 2 x 1000 baht handouts to poorer Thai citizens has been quashed by the PM. Prime Minister Prayut officially shelved plans to hand out the cash to low income earners. Last Friday the Finance Ministry made the announcement for a new round of stimulus packages to prop up…
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Kitten killer arrested in Chiang Mai
The internet is abuzz with outrage and indignation as netizens and animal lovers express their outrage over a man in arrested in northern Thailand for adopting kittens, then killing them. Officers in Chiang Mai arrested the man, identified as Waitaya Kadpab, on animal cruelty charges for adopting and killing up to 12 kittens. Authorities told Thai media that several people…
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Pattaya cop, volunteers busted for extortion, abduction
A police officer and four local police volunteers been arrested for extortion and abduction in Pattaya. Captain Wuttikorn Plodprong, a deputy investigator of the Pattaya City Police and the four volunteers for police were arrested Saturday, and are now in custody at the local remand prison. The arrest comes after relatives of an accused drug dealer reported to the Chon…
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Government looking at ways to lower public electricity bills
The ministry is also studying ways to lower the price of cooking gas and fuel. Thailand’s Energy Ministry is examining ways to lower electricity bills for the general public to ease their burden in response to the impact of Covid-19 on the economy, according to Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong. The ministry’s permanent secretary has been asked to call a meeting…
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Village leader slain in drive-by shooting in South
Gunmen in Pattanni province in Thailand’s restive South shot dead an assistant village headman while he was exercising at a children’s playground yesterday. Pattani and its neighbouring provinces are home to Thailand’s Southern Conflict. The drive-by shooting occurred at playground in front of a football field in Ban Prawae of tambon Yarang. Witnesses say Chanwit Kaso, assistant headman of Ban…
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Thais reject the Government’s cash giveaway scheme
A new Super Poll survey shows that 71.2% of respondents disagree with the Government’s recently announced plans to hand out two 1,000 baht monthly cash give-aways to low income earners. The new economic stimulus package was announced last week by the finance ministry to help cushion the impact of the sagging economy and threats from the COVID-19 outbreak. A spokesperson…
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Wanted killer dies of unknown causes
An infamous killer, long sought by police, died this morning of “an unspecified illness” at a house in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. A team of police officers and a doctor from the district hospital went to the house after being informed of the death of the wanted hit man, identified as 49 year old Yuthana Chukaew, known…
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Transgender queen crowned in Pattaya
“This is for you, I made this for you.” The crowd was smaller and there were temperature checks for attendees, but the show went on: Mexico’s Valentina Fluchaire was crowned as the winner of what is billed as the world’s biggest transgender pageant yesterday in Pattaya. To allay fears over the Covid-19 coronavirus, the entire venue in the seaside resort…
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100 kilograms of crystal meth wash ashore in Thailand’s southeast
It’s been a busy week for the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), as police in Trat province seized 100 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice,” found washed ashore on two beaches. Nineteen packets of the drug were found on Koh Mak beach, and another 81 packs on Koh Kut beach. Trat is the easternmost province along the Thai…
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Help is on the way: 100 billion baht stimulus package passed
Eyeing the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the nation’s already battered economy, the government yesterday approved a stimulus package, anticipated to cost more than 100 billion baht. The package was approved in a meeting of the Council of Economic Ministers, led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and will be forwarded to the cabinet for approval on Tuesday. After the…
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Forecast: steamy in the North, stormy in the South
The weather department’s forecast is for hot weather for upper Thailand today, as a high-pressure system from China covering the South China Sea weakens. Meanwhile southerly and the southeasterly winds will bring humidity from the South China Sea to the area. Thundershowers are likely in parts of the lower North, the Northeast and the Central and East regions. The weak…
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Top of the Gulf Regatta cancelled over virus fears
Adding to a rapidly growing list, including Songkran celebrations around the nation, and dealing yet another blow to Thailand’s reeling tourism sector, the Top of the Gulf Regatta has become the latest event to fall victim to the coronavirus threat. Organisers Ocean Marina announced yesterday that this year’s race is cancelled. The Regatta was scheduled to run from May 1-5.…
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2000 baht handouts for low-income Thais
Thailand’s Council of Economic Ministers today endorsed a Finance Ministry proposal to provide low-income Thais 2000 baht each via an e-payment channel. Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana said after a meeting this afternoon that there will be a 1000 payment for two consecutive months for low-income earners, farmers and freelancers. The number of people eligible has yet to be calculated. The…
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Government launches “Have problems, consult the PM” charm offensive
Thailand’s government yesterday launched a new program, dubbed “Have Problems, Consult the PM,” to allow the public to voice grievances and problems directly to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Prayut welcomed groups representing farmers, civil society and independent entrepreneurs at Government House. The PM told them that the program is his own initiative at a time of challenges, including Thailand’s economic…
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Major corporations join the fight against plastics
by Ghislaine Bovy Reduce. Re-use. Recycle. The public is now fully aware of the gigantic plastic pollution issue. They know it’s time to act and act now. Many of us have already “gone” into using reusable plastic bags, refillable bottles and buy fruits and vegetables in bulk instead of in individual plastic bags, small shops don’t give you a plastic…
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North to see thunderstorms, rains predicted for Bangkok
Thailand’s Meteorological Department today says there is a possibility of thunderstorms, gusty winds and even hail in the North, the Northeast, the Central and East regions, due to a low pressure area covering the lower North and Central regions and a high pressure system from China in the Northeast. In the South, less rain is predicted. The department advises people…
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Students say they were bilked as long distance “technical school” closes
Students of a Thai technical school are crying foul after the “college” shut down without bestowing them with their diplomas. They allege the college charged expensive tuition fees then shut down. One student, 27 year old Suchada Krahothong, said she paid 50,000 baht for a one year course at the college, advertised as a “special program.” But despite regularly attending…
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March 2020, the Thai month of cancellations
March will end up as the long month of cancellations. With Songkran looming, one of the busiest times for travel in Thailand, and increasingly one of the biggest annual tourist magnets to the Kingdom, cancelling Songkran would take Thailand into unchartered tourism and economic territory. Fears, real or imagined, are forcing companies and governments to assess their risks associated with…
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