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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Unsatisifed with haircut, grandfather goes to police station for help
A grandfather got a haircut he deemed bad enough to go to the police station. The man’s identity was not given. What is known is the man got a haircut that he believed did not make him look “handsome”. He said his hair was cut to different lengths. Logically, the next step was to file a police report. Which is…
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Thammanat Prompaew said to be PPRP’s next secretary-general
MP Thammanat Prompaew, the controversial convicted drug smuggler turned politician, is favoured to become the next secretary-general of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, sources say. A meeting of the party’s general assembly will take place in Khon Kaen province today where an announcement may be made. The embattled Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister is considered to be the likely successor…
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Pattaya security guard dies after crashing into garbage truck
Last night in Pattaya, a security guard drove his motorbike into the back of a garbage truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The 43 year old security guard was driving on Road Number 36 on the Pattaya Rayong Bypass. His name has been withheld from media until his relatives have been notified of his passing. Police say the…
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Over 300 Phuket businesses awarded SHA Plus accreditation ahead of re-opening
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has declared the southern island of Phuket as “sandbox-ready”, after awarding SHA Plus accreditation to more than 300 tourism businesses. Phuket is gearing up for a much-anticipated re-opening on July 1, although it must be pointed out that this is still subject to official approval. The SHA endorsement confirms that hotels and other tourism businesses…
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Tourism bodies concerned vaccination uncertainty will disrupt re-opening
Earlier this week, Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, pledged to re-open the country to international tourism within 120 days. But tourism operators aren’t breathing a sigh of relief just yet. Many have voiced concerns over the delays in the vaccine rollout, fearing that if Thailand doesn’t get its act together on vaccination, the re-opening could be affected. According to the Bangkok…
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Tar balls wash ashore on several Phuket beaches
An oil spill that hit the north end of Phuket on Sunday has now stretched the entire length of the island as tar balls have washed up on the southernmost beach in Phuket as well. No source of the oil has been identified yet. Tar balls first washed up a few days ago on Mai Khao Beach, a stretch of…
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Famous/infamous murder suspect out on bail wins lottery
A resident of Mukdahan, a northern Thai province, who’s also a: murder suspect, folk hero, actor in music videos, known as”Uncle Phol”, won the lottery yesterday. Chaipol Vipha, AKA “Uncle Phol” gave his happy news with his wife, Pa Taan, on their Youtube channel, Wednesday. They won with the last 2 digits, 17. 17, is Uncle Phol’s birthday. Chaipol’s “fan…
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EU Free Trade Agreement talks resume after 7-year coup hiatus
After a 7-year delay following Thailand’s military coup, talks have resumed to create a Free Trade Agreement between Thailand and the European Union. The Ministry of Commerce hosted a meeting this morning between Thailand’s Commerce Minister, also a Deputy Prime Minister, and the Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand. The two met to have conversations about a variety of…
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TAT asked to make changes to Phuket sandbox before submitting for final approval
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has been asked to make further changes to the Phuket “sandbox” scheme before submitting it to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Apisamai Srirangson from the CCSA says the government’s Covid-19 task force wants clarification on the safety measures aimed at controlling Covid-19 when the plan is implemented from July 1. “The sub-committee is concerned…
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Thai Airways rehabilitation plan accepted by Bankruptcy Court
The debt rehabilitation plan of Thai Airways International has been accepted by Thailand’s Central Bankruptcy Court, paving the way for the survival of the company. The CBC’s acceptance of the plan is the first step in the debt restructuring process for the struggling airline. In this plan, the state would play an instrumental role in aiding Thai Airways to get…
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Krabi men arrested after TikTok video of a shark shot and killed goes viral
Police arrested 2 men who allegedly killed a shark near Koh Phi Phi off the coast of Krabi in the Andaman Sea. A video posted on the social media app TikTok shows a man firing his gun at a shark that was hooked on a fishing rod. Men reeled in the line and pulled the injured shark onboard. It bled…
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Thai government apologises for data leak, blames “temporary glitch”
The Thai government has released a statement apologising for the data leak on Monday which saw people who registered for a Covid vaccine have their personal information revealed. The government says there was a “temporary glitch” on the thailandintervac.com vaccination booking website and the error was because of “urgent system maintenance”. Soon after the website launched, multiple expats complained that…
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Covid-19, food delivery brings rise in plastic and infectious waste
Often, evolving lifestyles, and the technology it brings, are first regarded for their revolutionary game-changing effect before facing down the road the negative unintended consequences of the change. It was decades between when we celebrated the way air travel allowed you to see the world and when we started talking about “carbon footprints”. Many years went by between seeing the…
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Blacktip reef sharks get protected status as Environment Minister blasts video cruelty
Thailand’s Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment has blasted a TikTok video that shows Krabi boatmen shooting at blacktip reef sharks. Varawut Silpa-archa has slammed what he describes as an act of gratuitous violence and says the sharks will be added to the list of protected marine species. According to the Bangkok Post, the video surfaced on Monday and…
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Samsung Galaxy M62; Should You Buy It?
Sponsored Content There are many players in the mid-range smartphone market. Samsung, OPPO, and Xiaomi are few strong names in this segment. If you are looking for a powerful mid-range smartphone that is worth the money, Samsung M62 can be a good choice. Samsung Galaxy M62 is the latest phone in Samsung’s 2021 lineup of M-series smartphones. It was released…
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Location-tracking wristbands and punishments for escapees: Phuket gets ready to welcome vaccinated tourists
As the date of Phuket’s re-opening to vaccinated foreign tourists draws closer, officials are busy preparing all necessary measures prior to the influx. The “sandbox” scheme kicks off on July 1 and provincial officials have been rehearsing immigration and Covid-19 control measures at Phuket airport, the island’s ports, and the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint by the bridge onto the island.…
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3 dead in 3 truck crash in Surat Thani
3 people are dead and 1 more person is seriously injured following a 10-wheeled truck smashing into the back of a trailer that was carrying trees. A truck full of tires then careened into them, which then burst into flames. The fiery car wreck happened in the southern Thai province of Surat Thai, early today. The crash happened on the…
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Thai police say they’ve gathered “strong evidence” on transnational drug trade
“Good news” will be reported soon on Thailand’s crackdown on transnational drug trade, at least that’s what police are saying today about the ramping up of the transnational drug rings and trafficking. Drug suppression operations have intensified over the past month with numerous drug seizures including several at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport where methamphetamine and heroin were found hidden in packages…
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Thai amulets come to blockchain, blessed by grandmaster of spells and charms
Thailand is introducing Thai amulets on the blockchain. Crypto Amulets are selling Amulet non-fungible tokens (i.e., NFTs). However, unlike other NFTS, this crypto has been blessed by a grand master monk of spells and charms. The monk is LP Heng and the company’s website that sells Crypto Amulets touts the monk for his mystical powers. The company, Crypto Amulets, praises…
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Taxi driver attacks woman at bus stop, has a history of violence
A taxi driver that attacked a woman standing at a bus stop has been arrested on assault charges. He was arrested yesterday and brought to the Phra Khanong police station, a district in Bangkok. Allegedly, the taxi driver approached the woman at the bus stop, pulled off her face mask, and threatened her with a stick. 46 year old Nana…
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UPDATE: Police officers, prosecutors may be investigated over acquittal of Red Bull heir
UPDATE Following yesterday’s report that at least 10 senior officials may be investigated for their role in helping Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya escape justice, Thai media outlet Naew Na is reporting that 2 police generals are among the 10. ORIGINAL STORY After the Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya, aka, “Boss”, was allowed to evade justice for a 2012…
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Pattaya tourism operators not getting their hopes up over foreign arrivals
Tourism operators in Pattaya are not holding out much hope of a mass return of foreign arrivals in the first few months after re-opening. Pattaya has been chosen as the first non-island location to re-open to vaccinated foreign tourists, but operators fear the constant indecision and changes to regulations will have a negative impact. Thanet Supornsahasrungsi from the Chon Buri…
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Airlines look to vaccine rollout to restore demand and boost economy
Airlines are pinning their hopes on Thailand’s vaccine rollout as the key to restoring traveller confidence and boosting the economy. All eyes are on Phuket in particular, to see how the much-discussed sandbox re-opening fares. Wutthiphum Jurangkool, chief executive of Nok Air, says June has already seen a slight increase in bookings. “After passenger traffic recorded a whopping 90% decrease…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says drug suppression should to be a national priority
Following the numerous busts involving drugs en route to overseas, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has declared that the suppression of illegal drugs should be an urgent national agenda item. The deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek made the announcement of the prime minister’s behalf, saying Prayut called for government workers to support the efforts to crack down on drugs. The spokesperson says…
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Crime Suppression Division seizes dozens of illegal firearms in a series of raids
Thai law enforcement officers are cracking down on the illegal firearms trade, primarily on the online sales of guns. The Crime Suppression Division, or CSD, executed a series of raids this month, seizing dozens of illegal weapons and arresting several people on illegal weapons charges. The raids were initiated following the investigation into the online sales of firearms on the…
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Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport task force cracks down on drug trafficking
Authorities at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport are cracking down on drug trafficking, specifically packages being mailed from Thailand to overseas, after major busts in Australia and South Korea last month involving drugs trafficked from Thailand. Over the weekend, the Narcotics Control Board announced that the airport’s task force found 580 grams of methamphetamine hidden in motorcycle parts in a package destined…
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Over 1.5 kilos of heroin found hidden in notebooks at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Over a kilo and a half of heroin has been found concealed in notebooks at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, according to a report by Thai Residents. It’s understood the shipment of 1.65 kilos of heroin was discovered after the Airport Interdiction Task Force received a tip-off about a suspicious consignment destined for Australia. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board made…
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Motorbike thieves arrested after a million baht of bikes stolen
This week Pattaya Police arrested a group of motorbike thieves that they say are responsible for about a million baht worth of stolen bikes. The gang were arrested at a condo in Jomtien on Thursday afternoon by the Pattaya City Police Department. The raid captured 3 suspects, all between the ages of 22 and 23. The trio were nabbed after…
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Despite rumours, PM and goverment not planning early election
Amid a scattered Covid-19 response and vaccine rollout, and plenty of political fingerpointing and whispers, government officials dismiss rumours that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will call an early special election. The rumours gained traction after the prime minister urged cabinet members to hasten their work as the administration had only 1 year left, when in fact the 4-year term ends in…
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Thai PM not happy with soccer gambling
Prayut Chan-o-cha, has voiced his concern that there has been an uptick in illegal gambling by Thai people throughout the UEFA European Soccer Championship (AKA Euro 2020). The PM told the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and “relevant agencies” to tighten the scrutiny of illegal gambling, with an emphasis on online gambling. He also asked…
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