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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Bangkok enveloped in bad smog Friday
Get out the anti-pollution masks and turn on the air purifier, air pollution in Bangkok is at unhealthy levels. 64 locations in Bangkok were reported with high levels of the air pollutant PM2.5, according to the Pollution Control Department. As a cold weather front in China weakens, air circulation is also slowing down, causing dust to accumulate and drop to…
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Man drives car onto Bangkok airport runway while allegedly under the influence of drugs
A man drove his car onto the runway at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday afternoon while allegedly under the influence of drugs. The airline officials are now trying to figure out how the man was able to breach airport security and drive onto the airport runway. Airport security vehicles were seen escorting the car off the runway, passing by an airplane.…
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Koh Samui senior police officer faces charges for allegedly raping a suspect
A senior police officer in Koh Samui faces charges for allegedly raping a 21 year old Burmese woman at the Bo Phut Police Station. The officer, who was an investigation squad leader at the Bo Phut station, has been suspended and is now in detention at the Koh Samui Court, according to Nation Thailand. The senior sergeant major allegedly took…
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Student arrested in dormitory at night, charged with lèse majesté offences
A student at Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus has been arrested and charged with violating Thailand’s strict lèse majesté law. Ironically, it was his calls for the law to be abolished that led to Sirichai Natueng, aka, “New”, being charged. The group, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, has confirmed the student’s arrest on its Twitter page. After being taken into custody,…
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Thailand to introduce 300 baht “tourism fee” to insure foreign visitors, manage tourist destinations
Thailand’s Tourism Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, has confirmed a proposal to charge foreign tourists a fee of 300 baht per visit. The fee will be used to develop tourist destinations as well as providing visitors with insurance benefits while in the Kingdom. The proposal has been approved by the National Tourism Policy Committee and is set to be announced in the…
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At least 33 police officers, officials, implicated in migrant smuggling operation
At least 33 police officers and other government officials are being investigated for their role in the illegal smuggling of migrant workers into Thailand. The people smuggling operation is thought to be at the root of Thailand’s second wave of Covid-19, with countless migrants helped across the border without undergoing mandatory quarantine or any form of health checks. The Bangkok…
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Wildfires hit Mae Hong Son’s Pai district
Several wildfires have broken out in Mae Hong Son’s Pai district in Northern Thailand. The governor says he believes that several blazes happening in the area are a result of the dry season arriving earlier than usual. Using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer system, the local forest fire control centre detected 155 so-called “heat points” in the Pai district from…
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Drug trafficking suspects arrested after shootout with police, 1 injured
A drug suspect was injured in a shootout with police around 1am this morning in Isaan province Nakhon Ratchasima. The suspect and another man were both arrested for allegedly trafficking methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine. Police say they believe the drugs were being trafficked from Nakhon Phanom, a province bordering Laos, to provinces in the central region. As the suspects’…
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Thailand’s rich not eligible for 3,500 baht government handout
Thailand’s Finance Ministry has confirmed that wealthy citizens are not eligible for the government’s monthly cash handout of 3,500 baht. The Rao Chana (“We Win”) scheme consists of 2 monthly payments of 3,500 baht for those struggling with the financial fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Those with savings above a certain, unspecified threshold, will not qualify. The ministry has not…
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Thai brothers charged with trafficking Thai women to Brunei for prostitution
3 people, including 2 brothers, have been arrested on charges of sex trafficking, accused of sending women to Brunei for prostitution purposes. Brothers Somchai Sukson, 55 years of age, and 49 year old Rachen Suksorn, were detained under an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court, charged with a sex trafficking operation involving over 3 people. Following the arrest of…
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COFACT debunks top 5 fake news about Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand
The pandemic is not only spreading the virus, but also the ‘infodemic’ that has caused misleading information or “fake news”. COFACT Thailand gives a list of the top 5 fake news stories and myths, relating to the latest outbreak of Covid-19, that have been circulating among Thai netizens… “All Thai must enter lockdown” – There was a claim that this…
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US and UK require pre-departure Covid-19 test for all international arrivals
Heading back to the United States or United Kingdom? You’ll need to get a Covid-19 test first. Both countries are now requiring passengers arriving to the US or UK get tested for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours before the flight departs. Passengers will also need to show proof of a negative result before bordering. The new travel regulations go…
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Police arrest 4 more people suspected of trafficking ketamine-based drug cocktail
Police arrested 4 more people suspected of trafficking a ketamine-based drug cocktail which is said to be linked to 7 deaths in Bangkok. In the past few days, 17 people have reportedly required medical treatment after using narcotics, which police suspect is the drug cocktail known as “K powdered milk.” Police say 6 people in the Wat Phraya Krai district…
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Officials say Thailand being used as transit hub for ketamine smuggling
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board says Thailand is being used as a transit hub for gangs smuggling ketamine into the Kingdom from Taiwan and China. The drug is then destined for re-export to places like Hong Kong and Malaysia, where it can fetch high retail prices. However, use within Thailand is on the up too, with the ONCB…
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Thai Vietjet announces 6 and 12 month unlimited travel passes
Following the successful launch of Hat Yai Pass and Northeastern Pass, today, Thai Vietjet is now introducing the ‘Thailand Power Pass’ – an unlimited flight pass that allows passengers to fly on Thai Vietjet’s domestic network as often as they like within 6 or 12 months. The passes are available in two types – a 6 months pass at 12,000…
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PM announces the distribution of 3,500 baht to help during Covid outbreak
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announces the 3,500 Baht distribution to help people financially affected during this second major outbreak of Covid-19, including informal workers, freelancers, and the unemployed. At the same time, the government will also help reduce the cost of living expenses of all households nationwide including electricity and water bills in February and March. Special internet packages will also…
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Temperature drop affects Lop Buri’s monkeys
The quick drop of temperature is affecting thousands of monkeys living around Lop Buri’s Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan Shrine. Villagers say monkeys were shivering and cuddling each other during last night’s strong winds. Some of the monkeys are staying in their shelter to keep warm. They’re also less likely to leave their shelters for food or…
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Strong surf hits Prachuap Khiri Khan beach
High waves, peaking at 2 to 4 metres, hit Prachuap Khiri Khan’s coastal beaches, gushing over the breakwater and flooding some spots of the beachside road. Beachfront shops and restaurants have been temporarily closed while all on-water activities are prohibited in the affected areas. Over 100 fishing boats and small boats have moored in the areas around the Khao Ta Mong…
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Cool weather in central and northern Thailand, strong wind, waves in the south
Temperatures are dropping throughout the North, Northeast and Central regions. Frost is even on some mountaintops. The Thailand Meteorological Department says the cool weather is due to the high-pressure system from China covering the upper part of Thailand. Bangkok today reports a temperature drop with a low of 16-18 degrees Celsius, while the Central region is expected to have cool…
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New illicit drug cocktail on Bangkok’s streets | VIDEO
Watch the video here… WARNING: This article contains content related to drugs and drug use. A cocktail of narcotics known to police as “K powdered milk” or “K Nompong’ in Thai, is suspected to be linked to a number of deaths among young Thais in Bangkok. The “K powdered milk” is a mixture of ketamine, heroin, methamphetamine and a sleeping…
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National police investigate narcotic drug cocktail suspected of causing 6 deaths in Bangkok
The national police are investigating what they say is a new illicit drug cocktail suspected of being linked to 6 deaths in Bangkok on Sunday. While autopsy results declaring the cause of death have not been released yet, police say 6 people in Bangkok died on the same day apparently after consuming the drug mixture “K powdered milk.” National police…
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Thai labour market bounces back despite the pandemic
Despite Covid-19 pandemic’s negative impact on the economy with numerous layoffs and business closures, the Thai labour market survived and is experiencing an unemployment rate that is lower than expected, according to the Deputy Chairman of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, Chalee Loysoong. While the unemployment rate is lower than expected at 2% or 700,000 individuals, Thammasat University associate professor…
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Phuket is hit with a triple Covid crisis | VIDEO
Phuket has had a triple hit over the past 12 months. Firstly with the original Covid-19 outbreak and lockdowns back in April and May in 2020, then again just before Christmas and New Year when the new clusters emerged in Samut Sakhon and the eastern coastal provinces, further dampening even local traveller traffic to the island, then some further restrictions…
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Police raid 5 homes and businesses suspected of gambling, arrest 21 people
Police arrested 21 people on gambling charges after 5 raids in Bangkok over the weekend. While deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, Jiraphop Phuridet, says the raids on January 8 and 9 are part of a nationwide crackdown initiated by the national police chief after a Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, the raids busted what seems like…
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Dead whale found washed up on Koh Samui beach
A dead Bryde’s whale was found washed up on Koh Samui’s Choeng Mon beach yesterday. By the look of the rotting carcass, said to be around 11 metres long, marine resource specialist Thon Thamrongnawasawat says he believes the whale died several days ago. The cause of death is currently under investigation by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Thon said…
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Fallout from President Trump’s Twitter ban
President Trump’s Twitter ban has been getting plenty of flak, particularly from friends, family, hard core supporters and advisors. Twitter banned the president from the platform on Friday after his supporters stormed the US Capitol building. But those supporting the president say the ban amounts to an assault on free speech by “radical leftists”. Ironically they aired their grievances… on…
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Former Thammasat professor blames partnership between officials and leaders for 2nd wave
A former Thammasat University lecturer is claiming that the current surge in new infections of Covid-19 in Thailand is a result of the so-called “Covid mafia” which he defines as corrupt officials working closely with local influential figures to carry out illegal activities. Kaewsan Atipothi claimed that these alleged co-operative actions between leaders has enabled illegal gambling and human trafficking gangs,…
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Pattaya motorbike taxi commended after returning wallet to foreigner
A Pattaya motorbike taxi driver is being commended online after finding and returning a lost wallet to a foreigner. The woman, 43 year old Kelaya Supaphol, was dropping off a customer by the McDonald’s on Pattaya’s Second Road when she says she saw the wallet on the ground. She picked up the wallet and checked inside, with another motorbike taxi…
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16 foreigners, 5 Thais arrested in Pattaya for illegal gambling
Pattaya police have arrested 16 foreigners and 5 Thais for illegal gambling in a Pattaya condo. They raided the Espana Condominium & Resort at 1am yesterday morning, arresting the lawbreakers, after receiving a tip that an illegal gambling casino was being hosted at the condo. Officials found 21 people gambling inside rooms 517 and 518 located on the 5th floor.…
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Thailand’s emergency decree extended again
Thailand’s nationwide Emergency Decree has been extended again, this time until the end of February. The decree gives the Thai government the ability to set policies and procedures to prevent the control the spread of Covid-19… things like restricting travel, setting up road checkpoints and introducing other restrictions without having to consult the parliament. All the latest articles about Thailand’s Covid-19…
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