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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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    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...

  • Companies pull out from Trump brand after storming of Capitol incident

    Companies pull out from Trump brand after storming of Capitol incident

    Corporate America is adding its weight in response to the insurgency at the Capitol building on January 6, and are pulling out from any association with the Trump brand after the storming of the capitol incident which economists say will have a profound medium and long-term effect on his business interests. Recently, Signature Bank closed Trump’s personal accounts and the…

  • Central Thailand hospital adding marijuana to spa restaurant menu

    Central Thailand hospital adding marijuana to spa restaurant menu

    A little sprinkle here and a little sprinkle there. A central Thailand hospital is now adding marijuana to its spa restaurant menu. The Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, in Prachin Buri, is serving patients dishes and drinks prepared with marijuana leaves at its Abhaibhubejhr Day Spa. Asala Chaocharoen, one of the hospital’s pharmacists, says they have developed the menu item using 1…

  • Thailand’s PM asks people to avoid political gatherings over concerns for their health

    Thailand’s PM asks people to avoid political gatherings over concerns for their health

    Thailand’s PM is asking people to avoid political gatherings over concerns for their health due to the recent cooler weather. As the country is still not out of the woods with the recent Covid-19 breakout, the cold weather, in the northern half of the country, is adding to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s health concerns for Thai people. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri…

  • BTS skytrain maximum fare rate increasing to 158 baht despite backlash

    BTS skytrain maximum fare rate increasing to 158 baht despite backlash

    Bangkok’s BTS skytrain maximum fare rate is being raised to 158 baht despite receiving backlash over the hike. The Transport Ministry is behind the calls for City Hall to stop the increase as it says it is too expensive for the average commuter who takes the BTS 2 times a day. Saksayam Chidchob, the Transport Minister, says other routes should…

  • Thai laws, how to stay out of jail in Thailand | VIDEO

    Thai laws, how to stay out of jail in Thailand | VIDEO

    Thailand has plenty of laws, some of them applied more vigorously than others. Some not at all. But the ones they do apply can get you in hot water or, at worst, in a Thai jail. You DON’T want to end up there. Here’s a few of the better and lesser known Thai laws from The Thaiger. You can visit…

  • The road less travelled – trekking to the Kalim Viewpoint

    The road less travelled – trekking to the Kalim Viewpoint

    There are two well known ways to get from Kathu to Kalim or Kamala – one is across the Patong Hill, and the other is much longer, through Srisoonthorn and along the coastal road from Surin the Kamala (very scenic too). But there’s also another way. Also very scenic but will take you about 2 hours through dense forest although…

  • Nonthaburi gamblers given jail sentences

    Nonthaburi gamblers given jail sentences

    Following a raid on an illegal gambling den in the central province of Nonthaburi, 41 people have been handed jail sentences at Nonthaburi Provincial Court. Somjit Hinkerd and Sorasak Janthamanee were convicted of running a gambling den in the Bang Bua Thong district and sentenced to 3 months and 15 days’ imprisonment. The other gamblers were sentenced to 15 days’…

  • Government considering another registration round for co-payment scheme

    Government considering another registration round for co-payment scheme

    The Finance Ministery is considering adding another registration round to the Khon La Khrueng (“Let’s Go Halves”) co-payment scheme, as 1.34 million rights have not yet been taken up. The government introduced the scheme last October, in an effort to stimulate the Covid-battered economy. Under the scheme, Thai citizens get a 50% subsidy on the purchase of food, drink and…

  • Arrest warrants sought for 8 civilians suspected of smuggling migrant workers

    Arrest warrants sought for 8 civilians suspected of smuggling migrant workers

    Deputy national police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas has confirmed that arrest warrants are being sought for 8 civilians implicated in the illegal smuggling of migrant workers. The Bangkok Post reports that the 8 face charges of aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The workers were trafficked from Myanmar to the central Thai province of Samut Sakhon, where the latest outbreak of Covid-19…

  • Can I travel around Thailand? Mor Chana app?

    Can I travel around Thailand? Mor Chana app?

    Yes. But for people travelling around Thailand at the moment there is still quite a lot of confusion and misinformation about where you can travel to and additional restrictions on travel. Statistically, and with the usual precautions, you are very unlikely to catch Covid-19. We’ll continue to publish any updates to this information on travel at thethaiger.com For people travelling…

  • Travelling in Thailand, Covid and Mor Chana | VIDEO

    Travelling in Thailand, Covid and Mor Chana | VIDEO

    For people travelling around Thailand at the moment there is still quite a lot of confusion and misinformation about where you can travel to and additional restrictions on travel. We’ll continue to publish any updates to this information at thethaiger.com For people travelling out of Red Zones… that includes Bangkok…. to other parts of the country that are lower-risk zones…

  • Bangkok enveloped in bad smog Friday

    Bangkok enveloped in bad smog Friday

    Get out the anti-pollution masks and turn on the air purifier, air pollution in Bangkok is at unhealthy levels. 64 locations in Bangkok were reported with high levels of the air pollutant PM2.5, according to the Pollution Control Department. As a cold weather front in China weakens, air circulation is also slowing down, causing dust to accumulate and drop to…

  • Koh Samui senior police officer faces charges for allegedly raping a suspect

    Koh Samui senior police officer faces charges for allegedly raping a suspect

    A senior police officer in Koh Samui faces charges for allegedly raping a 21 year old Burmese woman at the Bo Phut Police Station. The officer, who was an investigation squad leader at the Bo Phut station, has been suspended and is now in detention at the Koh Samui Court, according to Nation Thailand. The senior sergeant major allegedly took…

  • Student arrested in dormitory at night, charged with lèse majesté offences

    Student arrested in dormitory at night, charged with lèse majesté offences

    A student at Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus has been arrested and charged with violating Thailand’s strict lèse majesté law. Ironically, it was his calls for the law to be abolished that led to Sirichai Natueng, aka, “New”, being charged. The group, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, has confirmed the student’s arrest on its Twitter page. After being taken into custody,…

  • Pharmaceutical imports investigated after traces of diazepam detected in narcotics cocktail

    Pharmaceutical imports investigated after traces of diazepam detected in narcotics cocktail

    Pharmaceutical imports are being investigated after traces of the anti-anxiety pill diazepam were detected in the ketamine-based drug cocktail, known as “K powdered milk.” The narcotic cocktail is suspected of causing 7 deaths in Bangkok. The Food and Drug Administration oversees imports of diazepam, also known by the brand name Valium, and has been asked to send a list of…

  • Thailand to introduce 300 baht “tourism fee” to insure foreign visitors, manage tourist destinations

    Thailand to introduce 300 baht “tourism fee” to insure foreign visitors, manage tourist destinations

    Thailand’s Tourism Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, has confirmed a proposal to charge foreign tourists a fee of 300 baht per visit. The fee will be used to develop tourist destinations as well as providing visitors with insurance benefits while in the Kingdom. The proposal has been approved by the National Tourism Policy Committee and is set to be announced in the…

  • Wildfires hit Mae Hong Son’s Pai district

    Wildfires hit Mae Hong Son’s Pai district

    Several wildfires have broken out in Mae Hong Son’s Pai district in Northern Thailand. The governor says he believes that several blazes happening in the area are a result of the dry season arriving earlier than usual. Using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer system, the local forest fire control centre detected 155 so-called “heat points” in the Pai district from…

  • Drug trafficking suspects arrested after shootout with police, 1 injured

    Drug trafficking suspects arrested after shootout with police, 1 injured

    A drug suspect was injured in a shootout with police around 1am this morning in Isaan province Nakhon Ratchasima. The suspect and another man were both arrested for allegedly trafficking methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine. Police say they believe the drugs were being trafficked from Nakhon Phanom, a province bordering Laos, to provinces in the central region. As the suspects’…

  • Air pollution at “unhealthy levels” in 64 areas in Bangkok

    Air pollution at “unhealthy levels” in 64 areas in Bangkok

    Get out the anti-pollution masks and turn on the air purifier, air pollution in Bangkok is at unhealthy levels. 64 locations in Bangkok have reported high levels of the air pollutant PM2.5, according to the Pollution Control Department. People are advised to avoid outdoor activities. As a cold weather front in China weakens, air circulation is also slowing down, causing…

  • Thailand’s rich not eligible for 3,500 baht government handout

    Thailand’s rich not eligible for 3,500 baht government handout

    Thailand’s Finance Ministry has confirmed that wealthy citizens are not eligible for the government’s monthly cash handout of 3,500 baht. The Rao Chana (“We Win”) scheme consists of 2 monthly payments of 3,500 baht for those struggling with the financial fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Those with savings above a certain, unspecified threshold, will not qualify. The ministry has not…

  • COFACT debunks top 5 fake news about Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand

    COFACT debunks top 5 fake news about Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand

    The pandemic is not only spreading the virus, but also the ‘infodemic’ that has caused misleading information or “fake news”. COFACT Thailand gives a list of the top 5 fake news stories and myths, relating to the latest outbreak of Covid-19, that have been circulating among Thai netizens… “All Thai must enter lockdown” – There was a claim that this…

  • US and UK require pre-departure Covid-19 test for all international arrivals

    US and UK require pre-departure Covid-19 test for all international arrivals

    Heading back to the United States or United Kingdom? You’ll need to get a Covid-19 test first. Both countries are now requiring passengers arriving to the US or UK get tested for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours before the flight departs. Passengers will also need to show proof of a negative result before bordering. The new travel regulations go…

  • Thai travel agents call for vaccinated foreigners to be exempt from quarantine by third quarter of 2021

    Thai travel agents call for vaccinated foreigners to be exempt from quarantine by third quarter of 2021

    The Association of Thai Travel Agents is urging the government to do away with the mandatory 14 day quarantine for vaccinated foreign arrivals by the third quarter of the year. The president of the ATTA, Vichit Prakobgosol, says 30% of 10,000 inbound tourism firms have had to close for good due to the financial devastation caused by the pandemic. He…

  • Police arrest 4 more people suspected of trafficking ketamine-based drug cocktail

    Police arrest 4 more people suspected of trafficking ketamine-based drug cocktail

    Police arrested 4 more people suspected of trafficking a ketamine-based drug cocktail which is said to be linked to 7 deaths in Bangkok. In the past few days, 17 people have reportedly required medical treatment after using narcotics, which police suspect is the drug cocktail known as “K powdered milk.” Police say 6 people in the Wat Phraya Krai district…

  • Thai Vietjet announces 6 and 12 month unlimited travel passes

    Thai Vietjet announces 6 and 12 month unlimited travel passes

    Following the successful launch of Hat Yai Pass and Northeastern Pass, today, Thai Vietjet is now introducing the ‘Thailand Power Pass’ – an unlimited flight pass that allows passengers to fly on Thai Vietjet’s domestic network as often as they like within 6 or 12 months. The passes are available in two types – a 6 months pass at 12,000…

  • PM announces the distribution of 3,500 baht to help during Covid outbreak

    PM announces the distribution of 3,500 baht to help during Covid outbreak

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announces the 3,500 Baht distribution to help people financially affected during this second major outbreak of Covid-19, including informal workers, freelancers, and the unemployed. At the same time, the government will also help reduce the cost of living expenses of all households nationwide including electricity and water bills in February and March. Special internet packages will also…

  • Thailand ranks 4th in the world for highest loss of tourism revenue – Official ESTA

    Thailand ranks 4th in the world for highest loss of tourism revenue – Official ESTA

    The following article was submitted by a public relations company representing Official ESTA, a visa application and assistance processing firm. Thailand has one of the highest loss of tourism revenue in the world with a loss of $37,504 million USD. The country ranks fourth on a list complied by the company Official ESTA intended to show the financial impact the Covid-19…

  • Temperature drop affects Lop Buri’s monkeys

    Temperature drop affects Lop Buri’s monkeys

    The quick drop of temperature is affecting thousands of monkeys living around Lop Buri’s Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan Shrine. Villagers say monkeys were shivering and cuddling each other during last night’s strong winds. Some of the monkeys are staying in their shelter to keep warm. They’re also less likely to leave their shelters for food or…

  • Cool weather in central and northern Thailand, strong wind, waves in the south

    Cool weather in central and northern Thailand, strong wind, waves in the south

    Temperatures are dropping throughout the North, Northeast and Central regions. Frost is even on some mountaintops. The Thailand Meteorological Department says the cool weather is due to the high-pressure system from China covering the upper part of Thailand. Bangkok today reports a temperature drop with a low of 16-18 degrees Celsius, while the Central region is expected to have cool…

  • New illicit drug cocktail on Bangkok’s streets | VIDEO

    New illicit drug cocktail on Bangkok’s streets | VIDEO

    Watch the video here… WARNING: This article contains content related to drugs and drug use. A cocktail of narcotics known to police as “K powdered milk” or “K Nompong’ in Thai, is suspected to be linked to a number of deaths among young Thais in Bangkok. The “K powdered milk” is a mixture of ketamine, heroin, methamphetamine and a sleeping…