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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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    What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?

    The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...

  • Bank report predicts extended timeframe for Thai tourism recovery | Thaiger

    Bank report predicts extended timeframe for Thai tourism recovery

    As the severity of the current situation facing Thailand’s lucrative tourism industry starts to sink in, Kasikorn Bank Research Centre have released a report with some stark predictions. Thailand’s tourism and hospitality industry faces losses of 1.69 trillion baht in 2020 and recovery “may not be clearly evident” next year. The report also foreshadows strict ‘new normal’ procedures as government measures…

  • Woman charged after abandoning cats at Wat Pho | Thaiger

    Woman charged after abandoning cats at Wat Pho

    A Bangkok woman has been fined after she tossed five bags, each containing a cat, over a wall and into Wat Pho on Sunday evening. Maybe she thought she was doing a good deed by dumping the cats off at the Bangkok temple, but she was dressed like a common thief working at night. Videos show her dressed in all…

  • UPDATE: ‘Bleach mum’ was the maternal mother of sick boy | Thaiger

    UPDATE: ‘Bleach mum’ was the maternal mother of sick boy

    Today local Thai media report the latest update about the women allegedly forcing her children to drink bleach. Her adopted daughter died due to ‘allergies’ back in December. But the latest case of her sick son now unveils a suspected malicious intent to cause illness in her children. Doctors at Thammasat Hospital in Bangkok confirm that a DNA identity test…

  • 3 quarantined returnees confirmed with Covid-19 in Thailand (May 26) | Thaiger

    3 quarantined returnees confirmed with Covid-19 in Thailand (May 26)

    Today, in the Centre of Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily press conference, Dr. Taweesilp confirmed 3 new cases of coronavirus in Thailand, of which all were recorded as quarantined overseas repatriates. This brings Thailand ‘s total of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 3,045. The death toll remains at 57 fatalities with no additional deaths reported today. Dr. Taweesilp says from the new cases…

  • Number of curfew arrests drops | Thaiger

    Number of curfew arrests drops

    Quite a few people have stayed out late, rebelling against the nation wide curfew that requires people to be at home from 11pm to 4am. More than 200 people were arrested during ‘no go’ hours from late Sunday to early Monday this week. But the nightly number of curfew arrests has dropped over the past month. Earlier this month, Thai media…

  • Evidence mounts against “bleach mum” | Thaiger

    Evidence mounts against “bleach mum”

    Officers of the Crime Suppression Division say text messages on the popular Line application show that a woman accused of forcing her two year old “son” to swallow bleach isn’t the boy’s biological mother. This evidence, together with DNA test results expected next week, may lead to human trafficking charges being pressed against the woman as well. A Line chat…

  • Thailand’s economic forecast among Asia’s worst: central bank governor to step down | Thaiger

    Thailand’s economic forecast among Asia’s worst: central bank governor to step down

    The governor of the Bank of Thailand will step down when his term ends in September. Veerathai Santiprabhob announced yesterday that he has decided against seeking a second 5 year term for “family reasons.” His departure comes as Thailand sees its economy contracting as much as 6% this year, mostly as a result of the impacts of lockdown provisions to…

  • Thai police deny using emergency decree as political tool | Thaiger

    Thai police deny using emergency decree as political tool

    Following the arrest of two activists in Bangkok on Friday, police deny using the emergency decree to suppress political dissent. Both activists were arrested at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre, where a small group was commemorating the 6th anniversary of the May 2014 military coup that swept PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to power, tossing out the elected government of Yingluck…

  • 12 curfew violators arrested in Pattaya after breaking through a checkpoint – VIDEO | Thaiger

    12 curfew violators arrested in Pattaya after breaking through a checkpoint – VIDEO

    12 curfew breakers were arrested in Pattaya City last night just before midnight after a black Hyundai van vehicle broke through a police curfew checkpoint. Reports suggest that the black Hyundai van ran through the checkpoint, causing Banglamung and Pattaya officers to give chase before eventually catching the suspects at an intersection in North Pattaya. 4 Thai nationals, all under the…

  • Thai food giant to provide a million meals priced at 20 baht | Thaiger

    Thai food giant to provide a million meals priced at 20 baht

    Thai food conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods says it plans to offer heavily discounted ready-to-eat meals for those facing financial difficulties as a result of the economic fallout of Covid-19. CEO Prasit Boondoungprasert says a million meals will be distributed to Fresh Mart shops around the country and will cost just 20 baht. There will be a choice of dishes on…

  • Thousands of people have been travelling between provinces | Thaiger

    Thousands of people have been travelling between provinces

    … but not quite as many as before, so far. The Director General of the Department of Land Transport says that more people have been using the inter-provincial buses services after the government recently easing Thailands’ lock down situation. He says… “Although some long distance services are still not in operation to comply with the night time curfew, many inter-provincial…

  • Gang raids virus screening checkpoint and empties community pantry | Thaiger

    Gang raids virus screening checkpoint and empties community pantry

    A coronavirus screening checkpoint in Northern Thailand has been ransacked yesterday morning. Police say around 3 men cleaned out and knocked over the community pantry, which was stationed at the checkpoint, and destroyed some of the plastic chairs. Around 1 am, the group stormed the checkpoint, a tent step-up used to check people travelling in and out of the village…

  • Opposition criticises Thai government over economic toll of Covid response | Thaiger

    Opposition criticises Thai government over economic toll of Covid response

    Opposition party Pheu Thai has condemned the government’s management of the Covid-19 crisis, saying total shutdown has had a devastating effect on the country’s economy. In a report in Nation Thailand, Paopoom Rojanasakul, vice secretary-general of the party says the hard-hitting restrictions imposed across the country have led to high unemployment, with the International Monetary Fund saying Thailand’s economy is…

  • Relatives claim British pensioner was mistreated and starved by Thai family | Thaiger

    Relatives claim British pensioner was mistreated and starved by Thai family

    Relatives of an 86 year old British war veteran claim he endured starvation and mistreatment at the hands of his Thai family in Samut Sakhon, central Thailand. After receiving medical clearance, the man was flown home to the UK yesterday on an Eva Air flight. A report in Thai Visa says the man, named only as “Ron”, was rescued after…

  • Phuket’s lost summer – looking to 2021 for tourism recovery | Thaiger

    Phuket’s lost summer – looking to 2021 for tourism recovery

    In a solemn recognition of the reality of Phuket’s stalled tourist industry, a spokesperson for the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association is saying most of the west coast hotels are unlikely to reopen until the last quarter of this year. And that’s just the start of the problems for the popular island beach resort. For now, Phuket’s International…

  • Thai Fruit Golden Month festivals to be held in 8 Chinese cities | Thaiger

    Thai Fruit Golden Month festivals to be held in 8 Chinese cities

    8 Chinese cities will host Thailand Fruit Golden Months Festivals as local governments there begin easing lockdown measures and travel restrictions. The director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion made the announcement yesterday, saying the the festivals will promote Thai fruit exports around China. “The campaign aims to increase the export of durian, mangosteen, longan, mango, rose apple, coconut,…

  • Chon Buri police hunting man for shooting ex’s new partner | Thaiger

    Chon Buri police hunting man for shooting ex’s new partner

    Police in Chon Buri province’s Saensuk district say they’ve applied for a warrant for the arrest of 38 year old “Adisorn P.” after he used a 9mm handgun to shoot his ex partner’s new young lover in the head. The warrant is for attempted murder and weapons offences. 26 year old “Thanachok”, the victim, is unconscious and fighting for his…

  • Pattaya Council mulls a mass transport monorail system | Thaiger

    Pattaya Council mulls a mass transport monorail system

    Nothing like the middle of a pandemic to announce a new monorail project. Undeterred, the Pattaya City council have announced a new 9 kilometre monorail as part of its Eastern Economic Corridor projects. They cite the need to ease traffic congestion caused by rapid urban growth in the seaside party town. They say the inner city area is in desperate…

  • 3 new Coronavirus cases in Thailand – May 23 | Thaiger

    3 new Coronavirus cases in Thailand – May 23

    The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman Dr Taweesilp announced in his daily press conference that Thailand has confirmed 3 new cases of the Covid-19 virus. 2 of the new cases are classed as “imported,” as they were found in a state quarantine facility among repatriates from overseas. Of the imported cases, 1 was a 25 year old old Thai…

  • Pattaya police re-arrest ex-US marine with PTSD | Thaiger

    Pattaya police re-arrest ex-US marine with PTSD

    Police in Pattaya’s Jomtien district have arrested an American who allegedly caused a public nuisance at a condominium there last night. Police were notified of the incident at 11:30pm. Officers and reporters arrived at a room on the eighth floor of the condo to find a foreign man who was “in a state of distress.” He was talking incoherently and,…

  • Police say mom forced toddler to drink bleach “to make him look ill” | Thaiger

    Police say mom forced toddler to drink bleach “to make him look ill”

    Police in in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, have arrested a woman for allegedly forcing her toddler to swallow bleach to make him look ill for an online advertisement selling her health products. A police source says the boy has been rescued and is now under the care of a shelter for children in the province. The mother, identified…

  • Armed thief breaks into Pattaya toy shop – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Armed thief breaks into Pattaya toy shop – VIDEO

    Pattaya Police are searching for a thief who was seen on security footage driving a motorbike with a sidecar, who broke into a toy shop. They believe the man was carrying a firearm. 26 year old Saifon Tanawong, a staff member at the shop, told police and The Pattaya News that at 2:30am the thief stole a computer tablet valued…

  • Former deputy commerce minister and 4 others plead not guilty to murder of judge’s brother | Thaiger

    Former deputy commerce minister and 4 others plead not guilty to murder of judge’s brother

    In a case which has shocked the nation, former deputy commerce minister, MP and police lieutenant Banyin Tangpakorn and 4 co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to the abduction and murder of the brother of the senior Bangkok judge who was handling his multimillion baht stock theft case. They entered their pleas via video conference from prison yesterday. The accused, including 56…

  • Foreigner handing out cash in Pattaya robbed of more than 10,000 baht – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Foreigner handing out cash in Pattaya robbed of more than 10,000 baht – VIDEO

    A thief who snatched a bundle of 1,000 baht notes from a foreigner handing out cash to desperate people in Pattaya has been caught on video, according to an eyewitness at the scene. Musician Pom Santana said the clip, posted on his Facebook page, captures the aftermath of the incident at Jomtien beach, as people queuing for the cash handout look…

  • Cyclone Amphan’s death toll climbs to 83 in India and Bangladesh – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Cyclone Amphan’s death toll climbs to 83 in India and Bangladesh – VIDEO

    Today the clean up starts in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan after it reached the coastline Wednesday evening and started heading inland. In parts of Bangladesh and West Bengal (eastern India boarding Bangladesh), at least 83 people have died. It’s affected some 10 million Indian and Bangladeshi people, leaving countless homeless. With winds around 170 kilometre per hour, most of…

  • Man arrested for growing 1,200 cannabis plants | Thaiger

    Man arrested for growing 1,200 cannabis plants

    Police have arrested a man growing 1,200 cannabis plants in Eastern Thailand this morning. After a tip about the illegal marijuana plantation, police raided and uprooted the hundreds of cannabis plants, reporting that they weighed over 500 kilograms, according to Bangkok Post. The marijuana was planted on land near the Pang Sida National Park, in Sa Kaeo. The farm covered…

  • U-Tapao airport maintenance facility going ahead despite obstacles | Thaiger

    U-Tapao airport maintenance facility going ahead despite obstacles

    U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International airport is going ahead with its proposed Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul project, despite Thai Airways entering bankruptcy, according to the secretary general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office. The 11 billion baht project to has already been approved by the Cabinet and a contract is expected to be signed in June. “In early June, project owner the…

  • Thailand’s property market set to experience brokerage megashift | Thaiger

    Thailand’s property market set to experience brokerage megashift

    by Bill Barnett It’s clear that Thailand’s real estate sector is expected to undergo a megashift as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and search for a ‘new normal’, if that’s even possible. That said, one of the country’s leading PropTech groups FazWaz says the crisis has only accelerated dynamic charges to the sector that have been bubbling to the…

  • Thai Chamber of Commerce warns 10 million jobs in peril if lock-down persists | Thaiger

    Thai Chamber of Commerce warns 10 million jobs in peril if lock-down persists

    The Thai Chamber of Commerce is appealing for businesses to be allowed to reopen ASAP, warning that if the lock-down goes on much longer, an estimated 10 million people could lose their jobs. The Pattaya News reports that TCC Chairman, Kalin Sarasin, says businesses should be allowed to reopen provided they abide by new public health measures. He says the…

  • Animal activists claim police officer killed beloved campus dog | Thaiger

    Animal activists claim police officer killed beloved campus dog

    A Thai animal rights group is accusing a Chiang Mai police officer of abusing and killing a beloved dog, Tia, a stray adopted by students at Chiang Mai University. Watchdog Thailand, based in Chiang Mai, investigated the incident after the dog’s body was found last week and recently reported their findings to police, according to Nation Thailand. The autopsy of…