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.
-
Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
-
Pro-democracy movement making little headway… monarchy’s powers remain untouched
The cost of pushing for change in 2020 by Thailand’s pro-democracy movement is still being splashed all over the news after more than 55 protesters sustained injuries at rally sites, mostly minor. And, as the year comes to an end, protest leaders say they are taking a break, only to come back stronger in 2021. But some question whether the…
-
Thailand remembers the 16th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami
It was Boxing Day, now 16 years distant, when the Andaman Coast of Thailand, and coastlines around the Indian Ocean, suffered one of nature’s most disastrous events of our generation. The tsunami reached Phuket and provinces nearby around 10am on Boxing Day, December 26, 2004, and caused uncountable losses. Official Thai government statistics estimate 4,812 souls were lost to the…
-
TAT launch new Alternative State Quarantine “one stop shop” in Thailand
The TAT have launched a new “one stop” shop for quarantine (Alternative State Quarantine) bookings in Thailand. The new website is designed to be a single place for booking quarantine hotels during the time when arrival in Thailand is welcomed with a mandatory 14 day stay (which seems to end up as 15 days in many cases) in a government-qualified…
-
Thai government plans to amend business, immigration rules, for foreign investors
Foreign investors in Thailand have long decried the onerous, complex, and sometimes downright baffling, bureaucracy that comes with doing business in the Land of Smiles. And it appears officials in Bangkok are finally sitting up and taking notice. Nation Thailand reports that, in an effort to stimulate the ailing economy, the government plans to make some changes to the regulations…
-
Thai government promises more long weekends in 2021, travel bubbles after April
In a bid to further boost domestic tourism, the Thai government plans to create more holidays in 2021, as well as introducing travel bubbles after April. The Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, says every month in the coming year could have a long weekend, as homegrown tourists continue to be the main focus for at least the first quarter…
-
Green transport in Bangkok’s khlongs, and it’s free | VIDEO
You can still go on a completely free ride along the Khlong Phadung Krungkasem, that’s a canal that runs through some of Bangkok’s most historic areas. The Thai PM launched the new ‘green’ canal boat services at the end of November 2020. The service is operated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Organisation. As a bit of background the canal ferry boats…
-
A very merry Christmas from The Thaiger team
Caitlin, Champ, Earth, Jett, May, Austin, Tim and Mike would like to wish every single one of our readers a heartfelt Merry Christmas. Whilst the challenges of 2020 have brought grief, confusion and sadness to many, it’s also reminded us about the importance of family and friendships. It’s also been a year of change for us too… we’re all in…
-
Reasons to celebrate being in Thailand for Christmas
Let’s face it, if you live in Thailand but normally spend Christmas in your home country or elsewhere, that’s unlikely to be happening this year. And if you don’t live in Thailand but have found yourself stuck here (and what a place to be stuck!), then consider yourself incredibly lucky. There are far worse places to spend Christmas – and…
-
Bangkok’s Christmas – The Thai capital gets out the tinsel | VIDEO
Christmas is a time to rejoice, a chance for families to come together, for Christians to celebrate and for Thais, to get out the tinsel and dress up Bangkok. A trip along Bangkok’s shopping centre strip reveals a winter wonderland of eclectic displays and dazzling decorations. What’s amazing about all this is that Thailand is, mostly, a Buddhist country where…
-
Man arrested for allegedly taking videos under students’ skirts
Police arrested a Thai man who allegedly snuck around universities and schools, secretly recording videos under students’ skirts, then posting the footage on Facebook. Allegedly, the 28 year old man, named by police as ‘Pathompong’, recorded over 1,000 videos. The videos had thousands of views on Facebook, and police say it led others to discuss online about how to secretly…
-
Bangkok cosmetic surgeon sentenced to prison for patient’s death
A cosmetic surgeon is sentenced to 5 years in prison for the death of a woman who had a severe allergic reaction to the anaesthetic during a facelift procedure. The Thai Criminal Court sentenced the 51 year old Thanapol Thongprasert, who ran a clinic in Bangkok, to jail for recklessness causing the death of 72 year old Nattamol Prachaseri ,…
-
Chiang Mai New Year countdown events still on
New Year countdown events in Chiang Mai are still on, despite Thailand’s record spike in Covid-19 cases. Cancelling the celebrations would hurt the already battered economy and local officials decided not to ban the events due to the economic impact, according to director of the Public Health Promotion Division Chiang Mai municipality, Danai Sarapruek. Danai says measures are in place…
-
Thai police to crackdown on labour traffickers
Thai Police are shifting their focus from illegal migrants to labour traffickers, saying they plan to make major arrests after enough evidence is gathered. Fingers have been pointing at the Burmese migrant community after hundreds of migrant workers in Samut Sakhon tested positive for the virus. Since neighbouring Myanmar reported a rise in Covid-19 cases back in September, border patrol…
-
Economy to lose billions of baht from Covid-19 lockdown – Kasikorn Research Centre
The economy will lose billions of baht following the Covid-19 outbreak in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, according to Kasikorn Research Centre. Shutting down the seafood industry in the province, calling off New Year parties in Bangkok and trips being cancelled due to virus fears will cost the economy a total of at least 45 billion baht over the…
-
Driver allegedly obstructs and stops ambulance, patient dies
A driver may face serious charges after he allegedly cut in front of and stopped an ambulance that was rushing to pick up a patient who later died on the way to a local hospital. Emergency responders received a call to pick up a patient who was in critical condition and being given CPR at his home in Samut Prakan,…
-
2 police officers fired for allegedly planting drugs on a woman, demanding money and sex
The Samut Prakan police chief fired 2 officers for allegedly planting methamphetamine pills on a woman and extorting her for 25,000 baht, then later demanding sex. The sacked police officers may also face criminal charges. The 34 year old woman sought help from the “Help Crime Victim Club,” claiming that the 2 police officers in Samut Prakan, a province just…
-
Possibility of an “end of year travel boost” has been shattered
As if things weren’t already bad enough for Thailand’s tourism sector, the events in Samut Sakhon in the past week have just made them a lot worse. Just as the few hotels open in Thailand’s major tourist hot spots were hoping for a bounce in traffic over Christmas and New Year, the hopes have been largely dashed by the outbreak…
-
Holiday season travel expected to drop by 5 million trips due to recent Covid-19 cases
Due to the recent cluster of Covid-19 infections in Samut Sakhon, hitting a record high in daily infections, tourism officials say the yearly tally for domestic trips is likely to fall by 5 million. With lockdown measures and international travel restrictions this year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand focused on local travel and set a goal of 100 million domestic…
-
30 property developers expected to sign up to Elite visa incentive scheme
The president of Thailand Privilege Card, which runs the Elite Visa scheme, says around 30 real-estate developers have expressed interest in offering foreign buyers 5-year visas in return for investing at least 10 million baht in Thai property. Somchai Sungsawang says the scheme, known as the Elite Flexible One launches on January 1, with cards valid for 2 years. Nation…
-
Lockdown could be final straw for tourism in Thailand
The President of the Phuket Hotels Association has described another potential lockdown as a nail in the coffin for tourism in the province. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, Anthony Lark says a nationwide lockdown, or restrictions on domestic travel, would finish off many tourism-related businesses. “Everyone’s losing money and just trying to break even. If the government can’t control the…
-
Bangkok city employee found shot to death in Surat Thani
Police have opened a homicide investigation after a Bangkok city employee was found shot to death in her car in the Southern province Surat Thani. A resident noticed a Toyota Yaris was parked along a road in the Phun Phin district for 3 days. Yesterday evening, the resident decided to check it out and saw a woman’s body in the…
-
Patient allegedly shoots and kills doctor in Phetchaburi for overcharging
A patient allegedly shot and killed a doctor for overcharging him. When police arrested 22 year old Denphum “Phum” Sangthong and took him back to the doctor’s office to reenact the crime, a regular practice in Thai law enforcement, a crowd of around 300 people gathered at the scene, some calling for Phum to be executed. 40 police officers were…
-
Thailand downplays UN criticism over imposing Lèse Majesté law
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has played down the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ criticisms over the kingdom’s enforcement of the Lese Majeste law, which has seen the arrests and detentions of pro-democracy activists, including a 16 year old minor. Tanee Sangrat, a ministry spokesman, says the law is not aimed at curbing freedom of expression for the nation’s people,…
-
Man’s body found tied up in upper central rice field
A man’s tied up body has been found in a rice field early this morning in the Nong Bua district of Nakhon Sawan, an upper central province in Thailand. A Nong Bua police officer says the discovery was reported at 8am near the Moo 2 village in tambon Wang Bo. The deceased man is thought to be aged 40 –…
-
Thai banks warn of cyber scams after surge in fraud
After a cyber scam surge involving Siam Commercial Bank earlier this month, police are warning the public of increased smartphone and call centre scams. Police say they are stepping up efforts to track down such criminals who have sent messages that ask for respondents to send their bank account information in an attempt to steal their money and identities. Since…
-
Voting starts in Thailand’s provinces, excluding Bangkok, alcohol ban in place until 6pm
Thailand goes to the polls today for the first time in 6 years for provincial elections. The last time was in 2014, just before the latest military coup seized power from the Yingluck Shinawatra government in May 2014. An election for Thailand’s central government was held in March 2019. The elections taking place today are for the provincial administrative organisation chiefs…
-
Bangkok officials launch “big cleaning” attack on air pollution | VIDEO
If all else fails, spray water at it … That seems to be the motto of officials in Bangkok, who have resorted to spraying large plumes of water into the air, in an effort to rid the capital of the smog that has plagued it for months now. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang has launched the “Bangkok Big Cleaning Day”, in…
-
United Nations condemns Thailand’s use of lèse majesté law against minor | VIDEO
The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights has expressed shock and dismay at Thailand’s use of its strict lèse majesté law against a 16 year old pro-democracy activist. The lèse majesté law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, prohibits insulting, defaming, or criticising the Thai Monarchy, and carries a punishment of up to 15 years’ imprisonment.…
-
Police charge 4 with swindling co-payment scheme, investigate over 700 others
The deputy national police chief, Damrongsak Kittiprapat, says 4 people have been charged with de-frauding the government’s co-payment stimulus scheme. He adds that around 700 others are also suspected of swindling the scheme. It’s understood the 4 people charged allegedly persuaded co-payers to carry out fake transactions so that money could be redeemed under the campaign. The Bangkok Post reports…
-
US cybersecurity agency alleges Russian hacking campaign
A cyberattack, which was first identified when US government agencies were targeted, has also been aimed at cyber targets worldwide, raising fears about global computer security. Microsoft has already announced that it’s notified more than 40 large customers hit by the malware which allegedly originated from hackers linked to the Russian government. The malware has been allowing attackers unfettered access…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.