Hot News
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Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...
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Arrival ban to end on July 1… some foreigners will be allowed in
“Dr. Taweesilp says about 50,000 foreigners are expected to visit the country under the new rules.” Thailand will begin allowing foreigners to enter the country from July 1, easing the months-long arrival ban. But foreign tourists will still be banned. Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says that the first group will comprise businessmen…
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Massage parlours will be allowed to reopen, must track and report customers to government
Post-Covid nightlife in Thailand is likely to be a bit duller than before, but at least “soapie massage” is back on the menu. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that massage parlours of every description will be allowed to reopen along with bars, pubs and other venues in the next phase of easing restrictions. But, there will be…
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Thai cabinet endorses raising age of criminal responsibility
The Cabinet has approved a draft bill increasing the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It also gave the go-ahead to changing the age during which measures other than criminal punishments can be applied, from 10-15 to to 12-15, under the same code. The changes are…
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TM30 immigration reporting requirements updated
The immigration reporting requirements for foreign visitors and residents have changed: the Immigration Bureau has announced an update to the requirement for TM30 reporting, clarifying when a TM30 report is due under section 38 of the Immigration Act. Here is an unofficial translation of the crucial part of the announcement for expats, in Section 2.2: “2.2: After the householder, owner…
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China’s second-richest is an ex-Google employee
Apparently, working for any kind of technology company in today’s world can reap massive wealth. That’s the case for one of China’s citizens who became the second richest person in the nation after previously working for Google. Colin Huang is valued at $45.4 billion by Forbes, placing him second in China after Tencent’s Pony Ma after his e-commerce company Pinduoduo…
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Deputy PM to become leader of ruling Palang Pracharat party
In a widely anticipated move, 74 year old Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, dubbed Thailand’s “Rolex General,” has accepted the invitation to become the new leader of Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharat party. The move is seen as a way of strengthening unity within the main coalition party, which has been plagued by factional conflicts, and to provide unity for the government…
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88th anniversary of Thailand’s constitutional monarchy commemorated
Today marks the 88th anniversary of Thailand’s transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy. Activists from several groups are staging peaceful gatherings across the country to mark the anniversary of the 1932 revolt, in what was then Siam. 30-40 demonstrators gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument and played a video reenactment of the speech made by People’s Party leaders after they…
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July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year
People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thailand’s New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but a 3 day soaking wet holiday might not happen until later this year. The large water celebrations could even be separated to be on non-consecutive days, according to a source in…
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Supercomputer from Japan now tackling Covid-19
The world’s fastest supercomputer from Japan is now being used to tackle the global Covid-19 pandemic. Japan’s Fugaku supercomputer claimed its spot this week as a global super-computer as it has been shown to process 2.8 times more data per second than an IBM computer in the US. Its name Fugaku is Japanese for Mount Fuji. The computer simulates how…
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Pregnant woman dies in hit-and-run, police search for driver
A pregnant woman was killed in a hit-and-run road accident over the weekend. Bangkok police are looking for the driver of a black Volvo that sped off after hitting a motorcycle from behind. The woman was 5 months pregnant. She was riding on a motorcycle with her boyfriend when the car hit them from behind. Thai media says the woman…
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July 4-7 long weekend holiday
Be forewarned: the Buddhist holidays of Asarna Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent fall on July 4 & 5 this year, but because they fall on a weekend, the days before and after will also become holidays making it a 4 day long weekend. So the usual alcohol ban may be extended for the full 4 days but nothing official has…
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Officials investigate the illegal logging of 36 rai in Narathiwat
In Southern Thailand, 36 rai (about 14 acres) of forest on the Sankalakhiri mountain range has been cleared illegally by encroachers. The incident happened in the Chanae district. Director of the intelligence office of the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command, acting on information from concerned villagers, ordered soldiers and officials to check on the alleged encroachment high up in the mountain…
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Police arrest man for running motorbike theft operation
The leader of an alleged motorbike-stealing gang was arrested yesterday in Southern Thailand. Police also seized 16 motorbikes that had been stolen from various districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Udomchai Sukyoi, who went by the name Sua Om, was arrested at a hotel in the province. Police found vehicle registration books, which Sukyoi allegedly kept as collateral while gang members…
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Thai doctor pours cold water on suggestion ‘bitter cucumber’ cures cancer
No, the popular bitter cucumber is not a cure for cancer, nor is any other vegetable, according to Thailand’s Department of Medical Services. Dr. Somsak Akksilp has dismissed the suggestion that bitter cucumber can cure cancerous tumours and cysts, pointing out that currently, only 3 therapies have proven effectiveness in treating cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. A report in Nation…
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Police arrest 5 allegedly involved in loan shark app
Police have arrested 5 people who allegedly ran a loan shark business in Pattaya. The smart phone app “True Cash Pro” illegally gave out loans whilst imposing excessive interest rates. Authorities say the business had around 10,000 borrowers and over 100 million baht in circulation. Police started investigating the online scam after receiving complaints about the company demanding people pay…
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Provincial employee arrested for allegedly stealing millions in government funds
A woman allegedly stole 33 million baht in government funds over the course of a year, using some of it support her gambling addiction. 28 year old Kanitha Hoythong, who worked in the finance and accounting section of the Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial offices, was arrested on charges of misappropriation and forging government documents. Hoythong allegedly forged signatures of authorised…
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Bars and clubs can re-open soon, but with a list of 22 requirements
“Musicians and performers must wear face shields.” Well, there’s some good news and there’s some bad news if you’re the owner of an entertainment venue in Thailand. You CAN re-open… soon. BUT, the CCSA has put together a list of 22 requirements you’ll have to meet when you re-open your doors. Not surprisingly the owners and representatives are unhappy about…
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CCSA officials plan to allow 7 groups of foreigners to enter Thailand
Authorities are still trying to figure out who will be allowed to enter Thailand, and how it should be handled. But today the government narrowed it down to 7 groups of foreigners, some under the developing ‘travel bubble’ scheme, and others that may require quarantine. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration still plans to discuss the proposed groups with government…
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Thousands of curfew violators arrested in 72-day span
Police arrested more than 40,000 people for breaking the nightly curfew which lasted 72 days. An average of 582 people were arrested per day during the restriction period, police say. Many people intercepted simply didn’t have a good reason for being out of their home late at night, according to police. They say a common reason for breaching curfew was…
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More sea turtles lay eggs on Koh Samui
It’s been years since sea turtles have been seen laying eggs on Koh Samui beaches. But this year more than a dozen sea turtle nests have popped up around the island’s coast. Just over the weekend, 70 eggs were found by villagers at Laem So beach by the Ban Sai Ree Hotel. It’s rare for the turtles to come to…
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Thailand’s entertainment venues and bars poised to reopen in July
Pubs, clubs and karaoke bars will be allowed to re-open in July. That’s a promise from the committee which has been rolling out Thailand’s gradual re-openings in staged phases. It will be the fifth phase of lifting the restrictions, originally imposed on all levels of business in Thailand in response to the threats from Covid-19. But, it should be stressed,…
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Unemployed Chiang Mai teacher arrested for child pornography
Police in Chiang Mai province have arrested an unemployed teacher after finding child pornography on his computers. The 33 year old man had previously worked as a music and dance teacher at a private school. He was reportedly paying a LINE app group to download sexual images of children as young as 10. Chiang Mai police collaborated with the Thailand…
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Baby elephants killed by electric fence in Chantaburi
2 baby elephants have apparently been electrocuted in the Tha Mai district of the eastern province of Chanthaburi, near the Cambodian border, when they touched an electric fence put up by an orchard owner to keep foraging animals out. A local police officer said he would summon the orchard owner for questioning about the electrified fencing. Authorities are awaiting the…
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Russian charged with credit card fraud on Koh Samui
Police in Koh Samui, in the southern province of Surat Thani, have arrested a 35 year old Russian man for allegedly using counterfeit credit cards to buy goods on the resort island. When he was arrested there were 8 fake credit cards found on him. The arrest comes after a bank employee told police of suspected irregularities in the use…
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Partial solar eclipse today, starts just after 1pm
A partial solar eclipse will be visible this afternoon, if your local weather allows. Bu in some other parts of Asia and Africa, residents will be treated to a spectacular total eclipse. If you miss this phenomenon today, the next solar eclipse, a total eclipse, on view in the Thai skies will be on April 20, 2023. For Bangkokians, the…
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Ruling PP party denies coercing opposition parties to join
A source from the ruling Palang Pracharat party says that rumours that it was trying to “coerce and persuade” members of the opposition or current coalition member to join the party, were untrue. Over the past month, Thai politicians had been gossiping that the party has been allegedly syphoning cash from the 1.9 trillion baht “coronavirus relief fund” to recruit parliamentarians…
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Over 100 arrested for illegal motorcycle night racing in Nonthaburi
Over 100 teens and adults have been arrested for involvement in illegal night motorcycle racing in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok city, since yesterday. Those arrested include riders, passengers, and supporters of the illegal races. Nonthaburi police said today that 102 people have been arrested in a collaborative effort between 11 police stations in the province. The operation is in…
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UPDATE: Kidnap/murder suspect Banyin in suicide bid
UPDATE: According to Thai PBS World, former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangphaporn tried to commit suicide at a maximum security prison last night, after prison officials uncovered alleged plots to kidnap the wife of the prison warden to hold hostage in return for his release, and to escape while being taken to the court on Monday, if that plan failed.…
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Bangkok’s Skypark could inspire more green areas across the region
“It is an example of how to repurpose an abandoned structure and increase green spaces in Bangkok through cost-effective design.” Bangkok’s new “Skypark,” built on an abandoned, never-completed Skytrain track, could become be a model for turning the capital’s unused spaces into much-needed green areas. Such an initiative would also boost public health and mitigate the impacts of climate change,…
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Koh Samet will reopen next month
The eastern Rayong province’s Koh Samet will reopen to the public on July 1, after being closed since the enactment of the Emergency Decree to halt the spread of Covid-19. The reopening follows with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s policy to reopen all national parks nationwide. Koh Samet is a part of the Khao Laemya – Koh Samet…
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