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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6 arrested for alleged child sex trafficking, 5 teen girls rescued
Police say 6 people in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces, west of Bankok, have been arrested on suspicion of child sex trafficking. 5 child prostitutes, at least one as young as 14 were rescued in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces, and 6 people taken into custody. Acting on a tip, officers of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division yesterday arrested the 6 and…
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Surat Thani fishermen want government intervention in “cockle war”
Cockles – and Thailand’s “cockle wars” – are back in the news this week. Fishermen in the southern Surat Thani province are calling for clearer guidelines on cockle catches, as their conflict with shellfish farmers drags on despite intervention from provincial authorities. Last Wednesday, a man rode in on his jet ski, firing a gun as some 300 fisherman raided…
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Curfew lifted from June 15, many activities resume, pubs and bars will remain closed
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has officially approved lifting the national curfew effective Monday. The centre made the decision at its meeting today, which was presided over by Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The 11pm-3am curfew will be lifted from June 15 but the national state of emergency in the country will continue. The centre has also decided to strictly…
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Thai Health Minister Anutin takes to TikTok
Warning! TikTok Thailand says only 1% of its users are aged 45-55. Turns out one of them is Thailand’s mercurial Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul. Remember him? He disappeared from Twitter after his comments about “dirty farang” in the early days of the Covid-19 crisis, where he accused foreigners of being the cause of the outbreak in Thailand. His racist remarks…
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Alcohol association begs government for trial re-opening of bars
But they know it is unlikely to happen. The Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing Emergency Decree have caused immeasurable economic impact across the country.Probably no sectors has been harder hit than hospitality, entertainment and nightlife. Although alcohol sales appear set to resume in restaurants next week, around 10,000 pubs, bars and entertainment venues nationwide – and their many casual staff…
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7 year old daughter helps police prevent father’s suicide
When police in the central plains province of Uthai Thani learned of a shooting incident they rushed to the scene to find a woman with a gunshot wound to her face and a man threatening to shoot himself in the head. Rescue workers rushed the woman to hospital while police tried to calm the man down and stop him from…
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Anti-alcohol law has “bounty hunters” snitching for reward money
Educating people, or advertising, online about alcoholic beverages is a crime in Thailand – a lesson learned the hard way by the administrator of a Facebook page detailing thee differences in the many types of craft beers when he was fined 50,000 baht for “advertising” alcohol on social media. Police told him they received a “tip-off from someone”. Artid, the…
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No foreigners at Wat Pho, Bangkok temple says Thais only
The Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) is open, but only if you’re Thai. Foreigners are not allowed in, even if you’ve been living in Thailand for years. The famous Bangkok temple re-opened last week but are keeping foreigners over fears of the coronavirus. A sign with red letters, all capitalised “ONLY THAI PEOPLE … NOW NOT OPEN FOR…
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Health minister promises hospital graft investigation
Further to a story reported by The Thaiger, Deputy PM and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to investigate allegations that many of the ministry’s 186 hospitals have taken kickbacks from drug companies for buying their products. He says he’ll order a formal investigation, if there is any substance to the allegations, which he admits have tarnished the reputation…
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Rayong police raid huge illegal gambling den, arrest 118 – VIDEO
Authorities in the eastern province of Rayong raided a huge illegal casino and arrested 118 gamblers. 12 million baht was reportedly circulated through the gambling den daily. Officers from the Department of Provincial Administration and the Department of Special Investigation raided the den, named “RJ,” in Rayong’s main city district after an extensive investigation. Check the raid on video (below).…
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Transport Company resumes service, bans foreigners
The wheels on the bus go round and round. But not for foreigners living in Thailand. The Transport Company, the state operator of intercity bus services, announced today that foreigners are banned from its services due to the Emergency Decree. Although services have resumed on most of their routes across the country, foreign travellers are not allowed to board because…
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Thai man faces 8 charges for Tweets criticising the monarchy
A Twitter user is facing multiple criminal charges for this posts criticising the monarchy along with a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The 20 year old man, going by the name “Niranam” which is Thai for anonymous, runs the Twitter account @ssji_2475 where he has made posts critical of the Thai royal family, violating Thailand’s tough lése majeste…
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Thailand renews cap on permanent residency applications
The Thai government has once again capped the number of expats who can apply for permanent residency in 2020 at 100 per nationality, rising to 150 in the case of stateless individuals. The quota remains the same as in previous years and has now been confirmed by Immigration officials. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the order and it has now been…
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Thai government to postpone tax increase on cheap cigarettes
The Thai government is expected to delay a planned tax increase on cheap cigarettes, as well as agreeing a moratorium on excise duties for entertainment and sporting venues, provided they don’t lay off any staff. Cigarettes costing less than 60 baht a pack were expected to see a tax hike of between 20-40% in October, but this is now being…
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Man rides in on jet ski, fires shots as hundreds raid his illegal shellfish farm – VIDEO
Like a scene in an action movie, a man rode in on his jet ski, firing a gun in the air as around 300 other fisherman raided his illegal shellfish farm off the Phunphin coast in Surat Thani. Apparently fishermen have been at ‘Cockle Wars’ for a while, with some claiming ownership to parts of the Gulf of Thailand near…
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Industry panel wants foreign businesspeople allowed back to Thailand
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking is proposing that foreign businesspeople be allowed back into Thailand. The president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce says this can be allowed if the government enacts strict measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, including ensuring every foreign visitor is tested for the virus 48 hours before landing in Thailand.…
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Husband, wife arrested after gold shop heist in southern Thailand
A husband and wife have been arrested for robbing a gold shop in southern Thailand, running off with necklaces valued at thousands of baht. They have a 2 year old son and the wife is 7 months pregnant with their next child. They told police that they needed money to support their family. The couple re-enacted the gold shop heist…
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Hundred arrested in illegal Rayong casino raid
Police have arrested more than one hundred gamblers at an illegal casino in a Rayong warehouse. The casino’s bank books show an average cash flow of 12 million baht per day, Thai media reports. Along with 106 gamblers, 12 dealers were also arrested. Police confiscated game equipment such as card tables, casino chips and 2 slot machines as well as…
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Samut Prakhan janitor arrested for alleged rape of daughters
Police in Samut Prakan, just south of Bangkok, have arrested a 42 year old school janitor for allegedly raping his 2 teenage daughters over a period of more than 2 years. Officers arrested the man yesterday after a complaint from movie star and women’s rights activist Panadda Wongphudee, who went to police after her women’s rights foundation assisted the girls,…
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Activists want investigation into government’s plans to “spy” on people
The Ministry of Defence and the Disease Control Department have demanded phone usage data from service providers, and political activist Srisuwan Janya (aka. “Thailand’s complainer-in-chief,”) is lodging a petition with the National Human Rights Commission seeking an investigation. The secretary-general of the Thai Constitution Protection Association says he found the conduct of the MoD and DCD to be a breach…
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Phase 4 easing may allow restaurants to sell alcohol. But when?
Relief may be on the way for struggling restaurants, as they might be allowed to serve alcohol again when health officials further relax measures taken to stem the spread of Covid-19. No domestically transmitted cases have been now been detected for 16 days and public health officials say they’re gearing up for the next phase of reopening, and they may…
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New Normal for property developers as marketing moves online
PROPERTY EVENT “The coronavirus pandemic comes at a moment where the Thai real estate market has seen an over-supply coupled with reduced demand since 2019 due to appreciation of the baht and overall economic sentiment.” Restrictions on movement, a lack of foreigners visiting and inspecting properties, and an economic slowdown are putting pressures on Thailand’s property market. At the same…
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More masks, more problems: Covid waste pollutes oceans
Disposable face masks and plastic gloves are ending up in the oceans around the world, some calling it “Covid waste.” Conservationists and non-profits in Europe and Asia worry that the items used to protect those on land from the coronavirus are now threatening life underwater. In France, Laurent Lombard, from the non-profit Opération Mer Propre, posted a video on Facebook on a…
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Bang Saen plans to be a “zero waste beach”
A Chon Buri beach plans to be completely garbage free, aiming to be a so-called “zero waste beach.” The National Research Council of Thailand and Kasetsart University have teamed up to develop a waste management system and devices to help keep Bang Saen beach clean. Although there are far fewer people on the beach this year due to coronavirus restrictions,…
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Activist asks why the government wants public mobile phone data
The secretary-general of the Thai Constitution Protection Association has denounced government plans to ask phone operators for details of the public’s usage, which officials claim would only be used to prevent any resurgence of the Covid-19 virus. Srisuwan Janya plans to file a petition with the National Human Rights Commission today, calling for the Ministry of Defence and the Disease…
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Prepare for delays in re-opening international borders
“The third or fourth quarter of 2020.” That’s as precise as deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak could say when Thailand would re-open its borders for foreign tourists. “…priority will be given to those arriving from coronavirus-free areas.” Mr. Somkid says that relaxing inbound travel restrictions is the first step to kickstart Thailand’s tourism industry. “The government has to be prudent in…
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Man slashes Pattaya shop owner with knife after being refused alcohol on credit
A man has been arrested after allegedly using a knife to attack a Pattaya shop owner who refused to provide him with alcohol on credit. Police in the Banglamung district were called to the premises in Soi Chaiyapruek 2, according to a report in The Pattaya News. There, they found shop owner, 24 year old Mr Surachai, with knife wounds…
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Man accused of sexual assault, Goodness Foundation helps file complaint
A cleaner at an international school in Central Thailand is accused of allegedly sexually assaulting his 2 teenage daughters. A police complaint was filed yesterday, with help from the Tham Dee, or the ‘Goodness Foundation’, led by a former Miss Thailand. The girls say their 42 year old father threatened to kill them if they told anyone about the assaults. The girls,…
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Thai Airways pushes back resumption of international services to August
Thai Airways, with more problems than most airlines at the moment, has pushed back its resumption of international services from the start of July to August. Maybe the flight schedulers know something the rest of us don’t….? The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has pushed back the resumption of international flights twice already. The current ban will finish on June…
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Murder investigation launched as body of Ukrainian woman found on Koh Samui
Two weeks after she went missing, the body of a 32 year old Ukrainian woman has been found in a wooded area of Koh Samui. The discovery has prompted local police to launch a full murder investigation. A report in Coconuts says the unnamed woman’s body was found off Soi Pracharat Pattana by hotel employee Uten Wiangnon. In a statement…
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