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 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...
-
30,000 baht reward offered after prisoner walks away from Bangkok prison
Police in Bangkok are offering a reward of 30,000 baht for information that leads to the capture of an escaped convict. The Daily News reports that Pol Col Chanaworasin Suphaphanarak, the chief of Prachacheun police in northern Bangkok, confirmed the reward yesterday. Phraiphiw Phumiphu, a convicted thief, escaped Bangkok Remand prison on Saturday. It’s understood he had been working outside the prison…
-
New controls on three toxic agri-chemicals take effect on October 20
A number of ministers and officials are vowing to continue pushing for a ban on three controversial agri-chemicals – Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos – all still widely used in Thai agriculture. Meanwhile, strict measures on using the three chemicals, announced on April 5 and set take effect on October 20, have brought cheers from consumers and NGOs but protests from…
-
“Auf Wiedersehen” to overstaying German on Koh Samui
PHOTO: TripSavvy.com A contingent of immigration and tourist police have arrested a 49 year old German who had overstayed his visa in the kingdom on Koh Samui for 14 days. He will likely be blacklisted from re-entering Thailand for a period following his overstay. The man, identified only as Manfred L, was taken into custody near the Bo Phut market…
-
Thai DJ arrested for murder of mistress – “gun went off accidentally”
MONTAGE: Daily News A 29 year old karaoke worker, Suree Huangsila, was shot deat on Saturday night in Sattahip, south of Pattaya. She was found shot in the mouth by a 9mm gun. A well-known DJ at a nightclub in Sattahip is now in custody over the shooting of his alleged mistress. Suree was found naked and dead in a rented…
-
Professor: Military government too interested in tourism – not people’s welfare
A professor of Rangsit University has criticised the previous military government for focusing too much on tourism and not enough on the welfare of the Thai people. The professor was speaking at Chulalongkorn University at a seminar discussing street stalls and urban development. She questioned the National Council for Peace and Order’s policy of clearing street vendors in all but a…
-
“Eat, Shop, Spend” drive reaches registration target
Ten million people signed up for the first Eat, Shop, Spend stimulus campaign since its launch on September 23. The organisers have expressed thanks to all who have participated. The first phase of the campaign aimed to boost domestic spending by offering 10 million people a 1,000 baht voucher via the G-Wallet mobile application to spend in specific shops, outside…
-
Measures outlined to reach 39.8 million tourists’ target by end of 2019
PHOTO: TAT News – Hua Hin Beach The cabinet of economic ministers has approved 18 measures with the aim of attracting 39.8 million tourists in the coming year. A government spokesperson says the measures “comprise short, medium and long-term initiatives”. They include financial and legal steps to stimulate tourism markets, such as the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale “Passport Privileges” which…
-
Piyabutr warns Army Chief’s remarks will deepen national divide
The Future Forward Party secretary-general says that Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong’s remarks on politicians, academics and national security could deepen the political divide in the country and spark a “clash of generations”. Piyabutr Saengkanokkul made the remarks at a seminar where he spoke on “homeland from the democratic perspective and the role of the people in building the nation”.…
-
Phuket Town – In CNN Travel’s “Asia’s most picturesque towns”
“Though most famous for its beaches, the Thai island of Phuket offers ample opportunities for cultural immersion as well.” Phuket’s Old Town was listed as one of Asia’s 13 most picturesque towns by CNN Travel. The article mentioned, that whilst the island is renowned for its world-class beaches and leisure, offshore and adventure tourism activities, Phuket Town delivers on romance, history…
-
Thailand’s growth forecasts for the rest of 2019 slashed again
Following their most recent meeting, the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking has announced Thailand’s economic growth this year has been revised downward to between 2.7 – 3.0% from the previous projection of 2.9 – 3.3%. It has also revised down its prediction of this year’s exports to between minus 2 – 0%. The committee says the revised…
-
Typhoon Hagibis kills 11 in Japan, rescue underway with up to 100 missing
“Hagibis smashed into the main Japanese island of Honshu around 7pm Saturday as one of the most violent typhoons in recent years, with wind gusts of up to 216 kilometres per hour (134 miles per hour).” by Hiroshi Hiyama and Natsuko Fukue Japan’s military is racing to help people trapped by flooding after powerful Typhoon Hagibis as it ripped across…
-
Bhumjaithai ministers will quit if herbicides are not banned
Lobbying is intensifying over a final decision to ban three controversial herbicides – paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos. With farmers, agri-business interests, environmental activists and social media all putting pressure on decision-makers to sway their decision, the biggest pressure is from within the ruling Palang Pracharat government. Increasing pressure is now being applied to the National Hazardous Substances Committee after the…
-
Alcohol sales ban in Thailand Sunday, October 13
A 24 hour alcohol sales ban is on for this Sunday, October 13. The day marks the end of Buddhist Lent and also coincides with the third anniversary of the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand’s revered and long-serving monarch. The ban will last from Midnight Saturday night until Midnight Sunday Night, a total of 24 hours. The ban is…
-
European tourism drops 1.5% year on year due to strong baht
PHOTO: AFP European tourist arrivals in Thailand are projected to decline by 1.5% (for the first eight months of this year) compared to 2018, to around 6.66 million. The malaise in the traditionally strong European tourist numbers is not as bad as anecdotally reported and has been partially made up with improvements from other regional demographics. The figures were compiled…
-
Thai government introduces new measures to improve tourism
Proposed measures to improve tourism in Thailand have been approved in principle by the council of the economic ministers. The steps, proposed by the Tourism and Sports Ministry, are expected to be put in place before the end of 2019 and will mean an increase in the number of places and agents offering a VAT refund service to visitors to…
-
Wet weekend for most of Thailand
Thunder, showers and poor weather are likely in the regions north of Bangkok over the weekend, with isolated heavy rain possible in the North, parts of the Northwest, the lower Northeast, the Central plains, the East and even the South including Bangkok and its vicinity (forecasts below). The Thailand Meteorological Department issued the warnings yesterday… Another moderate high-pressure area from…
-
Thai immigration’s biometrics nabs 3 more fake passport holders
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau commander says the biometric system at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport caught three foreigners carrying fake passports during the month of September. “In the first case, immigration police arrested an Iranian man, aged about 47 years, holding a French passport and travelling from Germany to Thailand. The biometric scanning showed only a 19% match between his face and passport…
-
A cocktail of beer and insulin blamed for ATM robbery
PHOTO: Sanook.com “After the combination of beer and insulin, Prakit grabbed a metal pole and drove his motorbike to the ATMs.” A diabetic man is blaming his insulin injections after going on an ATM robbery spree. The man had three attempts to break into ATMs in one night, all unsuccessful. The incidents happened in the early hours of October 9.…
-
Airbnb reveals top 20 trending world destinations to visit in 2020
Latest Airbnb booking data has revealed growing interest in lesser-known destinations and eco-conscious cities across the globe, as Airbnb travellers look for new, local and authentic travel experiences beyond big cities. Thailand made #3 in the list and it’s not Bangkok, Phuket or Chiang Mai. And Paris, London and Sydney are nowhere to be seen. In Thailand, emerging destinations across…
-
“Too good for its own good” – The Thai economy
Bloomberg has written an opinion piece about the robust Thai economy, sharing its fears along with some pats on the back. “Thailand really should let its hair down. The currency is strong and the current-account surplus is big versus the neighborhood, while there’s a lot of scope for fiscal expansion. The Bank of Thailand has been grudging in cutting interest rates, in contrast to the…
-
BBC Thai follows up Australian media claims about Thammanat’s imprisonment in Sydney
The BBC’s Thai affiliate has published notes of an official document obtained from a visit to an Australian court, stating that Manat Bophlom one of the former names used by the Thai Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thammanat Prompao, had served four years in jail for on charge of conspiring to import heroin to Australia. Early in September, Australia…
-
“Nothing to worry about” – Thai Police clarify the collection of WIFI data at cafés
PHOTO: Yahoo The Royal Thai Police have rushed in to clarify yesterday’s story about the Minister of Digital Economy’s Puttipong Punnakan commenting about the collection of restaurant and café wifi data. The Thai Minister of Digital Economy Puttipong Punnakan says cafe and restaurant operators offering free wifi services, will have to collect internet traffic data used by their customers up to…
-
Tourists rush to climb Australia’s Uluru before ban kicks in on October 26
by Holly Robertson Large numbers of tourists are rushing to scale ‘Uluru’, aka. Ayers Rock, ahead of a looming ban on climbing the enormous natural monolith in the centre of Australia, sacred to indigenous Australians. Critics have been lashing the last-minute climbers as “ignorant”, saying they’re going against the wishes of the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land, the Anangu.…
-
Thief gets away with 50 phones and gold in Bangkok
PHTOTS: INN News A thief has snatched over 50 smartphones and 76 grams of gold at a phone shop in Bangkok. The incident happened yesterday. INN News reports that the store is off, Bang Kradi Road, south-west of the city centre. The store is part of a small retail complex but there was no one near the store when the…
-
Phuket drug dealer arrested in Chalong with half a kilo of ice
PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News A 35 year old Phuket man, Suwat Kaewtaworn, is currently in custody after being arrested yesterday with 521 grams (half a kilogram) of crystal methamphetamine. Suwat was arrested in front of a pharmacy on Chao Fah West Road in Chalong. Police found three bags of crystal methamphetamine (ice), two of them weighing 10 grams each and…
-
Thai woman nabbed outside Pattaya school on human trafficking charges
PHOTOS: Naew Na Naew Na reports that a 31 year old Thai woman has been arrested outside a Pattaya school over human trafficking charges. The arrest was a joint operation by Chonburi immigration and the Pattaya Tourist police. The arrest warrant was issued back in December 2016 on 31 year old Rawipha Takunphon. The warrant relates to enticing children over 15 (but not…
-
AirAsia’s inflight WiFi is getting faster
WiFi on planes is the next-gen convenience, or potential annoyance, depending on your attitude to people being ‘connected’ all around you. But for business people, parents with families or bored flyers, it will be a welcome addition to the low-cost flying experience. Now passengers on board AirAsia can look forward to an “enhanced inflight entertainment and connectivity experience” with the…
-
Mandatory health insurance for ‘Long Stay’ visa starts October 31
Foreigners applying for a Non O-A visa will be required to purchase health insurance from October 31, according to Thaivisa. Non–Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) This type of visa may be issued to applicants aged 50 years and over who wish to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 1 year without the intention of working. Holder of…
-
Pattaya getting set for the Indian era – OPINION
by Dan Cheeseman I was a bit taken back by posters across the social networks where I shared the post that simply would not accept the Indians were bringing any value to Pattaya. Claiming Thailand would regret squeezing out the Western market and turning to the Chinese and Indians. It came across as sour grapes to me and also a…
-
Eat Shop Spend version 2 on the way, but no cash giveaway
After feedback from the successful “Chim-Shop-Chai” (Eat-Shop-Spend) campaign, the Minister of Finance says campaign will now be extended into Phase 2 but with the criteria and regulations adjusted to attract more people with purchasing power to spend their own money, without the 1,000 baht per person give-away. The Minister of Finance Uttama Savanayana says there have been 1.3 million persons so…
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.