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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • Police arrest Russian man and Thai woman in Patong over cannabis and work permits | Thaiger

    Police arrest Russian man and Thai woman in Patong over cannabis and work permits

    Police arrested a Russian man and a Thai woman in Patong over cannabis and work permits. This was after Kathu District Chief Thitiwat Boonkit led a team to inspect cannabis shops in Patong, The Phuket Express reported yesterday. The Thai woman, identified as 39 year old Apiradee Hanyek, was accused of selling cannabis buds without a permit. Some 175 bags…

  • US fighter pilot’s mid-air selfie with alleged Chinese spy balloon released | Thaiger

    US fighter pilot’s mid-air selfie with alleged Chinese spy balloon released

    A US fighter pilot is going viral after taking a selfie mid-air with an alleged Chinese spy balloon. Although the alleged spy balloon was shot down earlier this month, the US Department of Defence just released the selfie. The photo shows the fighter pilot in a selfie from the cockpit of a U-2 spy plane as it flew over the…

  • Phuket officials say dry season won’t see water shortage this year | Thaiger

    Phuket officials say dry season won’t see water shortage this year

    Phuket officials are confident that the dry season won’t see a water shortage this year. The predictions came after the Phuket Water Resources Sub-Committee met yesterday over the impact of water shortages in previous years. According to The Phuket News, Vice Governor Amnuay says that since Phuket had a lot of rain during last year’s wet season, the water reservoirs…

  • Thailand extradites fatal hit-and-run suspect to the US (video) | Thaiger

    Thailand extradites fatal hit-and-run suspect to the US (video)

    Upon request of the FBI, Thailand yesterday extradited the prime suspect in a hit-and-run case that claimed the life of a young Michigan State University student back to the US to face prosecution. The accused, 57 year old Tubtim “Sue” Howson, is believed to have hit and killed 22 year old Ben Kable with her BMW 320i in Oakland Township…

  • 50 year old case solved involving American murderer who became a monk in Thailand | Thaiger

    50 year old case solved involving American murderer who became a monk in Thailand

    American authorities have finally solved a case from 50 years ago involving an American man who murdered a teacher, before moving to Thailand to become a monk. Authorities in the eastern state of Vermont solved the case thanks to a discarded cigarette butt. The case involved the killing of Rita Curran, a 24 year old teacher who was strangled to death…

  • Thailand bans standing up on songthaews, drivers aren’t happy | Thaiger

    Thailand bans standing up on songthaews, drivers aren’t happy

    Thailand introduced a law on Friday which requires passengers to sit down when travelling on a songthaew, a popular form of public transport. However, songthaew drivers say the law is detrimental to their livelihoods and are worried it could lead to extortion. A songthaew is a passenger vehicle converted from a pickup truck with two rows of seats. Songthaews have…

  • Grab taxi driver accused of stealing 50,000 baht cash bouquet | Thaiger

    Grab taxi driver accused of stealing 50,000 baht cash bouquet

    A Grab taxi driver has been accused of stealing a valuable cash flower bouquet by a woman who hired him to deliver the gift to her boyfriend. The bouquet was reportedly worth 50,000 baht, a significant sum of money. The driver, whose identity has not been disclosed, vehemently denies the allegations and insists that he delivered the bouquet to its…

  • Thailand to ban all plastic waste imports in 2025 | Thaiger

    Thailand to ban all plastic waste imports in 2025

    Thailand has taken a significant step toward reducing its plastic waste by announcing a complete ban on plastic waste imports from January 1, 2025. The decision, made by the Thai Cabinet today, is part of the country’s ongoing efforts to tackle the escalating problem of plastic waste, which is contributing to environmental degradation and posing a threat to human health.…

  • Thai Cyber Police nab 3 more suspects in macau888 case | Thaiger

    Thai Cyber Police nab 3 more suspects in macau888 case

    Thai Cyber Police nabbed three more suspects in the case involving the macau888 gambling network. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) raided two spots in Bangkok, and one in the northeast province of Sakhon Nakhon, Thai PBS reported yesterday. Police found two women in a room of a condominium in Bangkok’s Phahonyothin area. One of the women was…

  • Thailand’s sex industry was created for foreigners, right? Wrong! (video) | Thaiger

    Thailand’s sex industry was created for foreigners, right? Wrong! (video)

    Thailand’s sex industry was created exclusively for foreign tourists, right? Wrong! It is a myth Thailand’s sex industry was exclusively made for tourists. It was set up for Thai people. There are hundreds of “Love Motels” spread across the country, and it’s not foreigners who commonly go there. There’s even a term for a casual sex partner, “Gik,” which is…

  • ‘Eat more rice!’ Thai officials tell youth | Thaiger

    ‘Eat more rice!’ Thai officials tell youth

    “Eat more rice!” Thai officials are telling the country’s youth. The Thai Commerce Ministry wants young people to eat more rice. The ministry launched a campaign after a study showed that Thailand’s consumption of rice had fallen. The department launched the “Thai Kids Enjoy Thai Rice” roadshow, visiting 10 schools and weekend markets, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. The Thai Rice…

  • South Korean human trafficking leader arrested in Pattaya | Thaiger

    South Korean human trafficking leader arrested in Pattaya

    A leader in the human trafficking trade from South Korea was arrested yesterday at a luxury condominium in Pattaya. He was charged with operating an illicit massage parlour in Busan and luring Thai women into sex work. The South Korean criminal boss, identified as 50 year old Cho, was arrested at a luxury condominium on Pattaya Sai Sam Road yesterday…

  • Drunken Korean shot by local man in a Pattaya grocery store for being too noisy | Thaiger

    Drunken Korean shot by local man in a Pattaya grocery store for being too noisy

    A drunken Korean man was shot by a local in a Pattaya grocery store for being too noisy. According to witnesses, the Korean, Namil Kim, was making a nuisance of himself early this morning and the customer lost his temper as a result. The gunman withdrew his gun and fired two shots, one hit the allegedly irritating Korean in the…

  • TikTok bans political groups ahead of Thai election | Thaiger

    TikTok bans political groups ahead of Thai election

    TikTok announced that it will block all accounts linked to political groups in Thailand in the lead-up to and during the country’s upcoming general election. TikTok Thailand’s chief of public policy announced that the company would take measures to maintain a safe community by preventing the spread of fake news and hate speech sparked by political conflicts. TikTok, a short-form video…

  • No more fines for vaping in Thailand, claims Chuwit | Thaiger

    No more fines for vaping in Thailand, claims Chuwit

    Smoking E-cigarettes, or vaping, is illegal in Thailand. But the crime will no longer carry fines or penalties following recent news of police extorting vapourising tourists, said controversial Thai politician and “tub tycoon” Chuwit Kamolvisit after a phone call with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Police will continue confiscating E-cigarettes, but the vapouriser will not be punished, said Chuwit. Vaping, which…

  • Democrat Party announces anti-cannabis campaign platform | Thaiger

    Democrat Party announces anti-cannabis campaign platform

    While nearly every street corner in tourist areas of Thailand is selling cannabis legally now (a recent driver in Samui spotted nine shops in a two-block stretch), not everyone is in favour of it, especially politicians. Politicians believe the rushed legalisation and subsequent free-for-all is a strong talking point against the Bhumjaithai Party, who pushed for decriminalisation. Now, the Democrat…

  • Thai tourism association says number of Chinese tour groups still unexpectedly low | Thaiger

    Thai tourism association says number of Chinese tour groups still unexpectedly low

    A Thai tourism association says the number of Chinese tour groups making their way to the Land of Smiles is still unexpectedly low. The president of the Thai Association of Tourism Businesses (ATTA), Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, said the number of Chinese tour groups travelling to Thailand remains unexpectedly low due to a lack of flights. Instead, most Chinese arrivals in Thailand…

  • British ice hockey player suffers life-threatening injuries after crash in Thailand | Thaiger

    British ice hockey player suffers life-threatening injuries after crash in Thailand

    A talented ice hockey player from Blackburn in northwest England sustained life-threatening injuries after a motorbike crash in Thailand. Former Bradford Bulldogs defenceman, 24 year old Josh Richardson, had an accident on a Thai island on Friday, February 3. Richardson sustained serious head injuries and was rushed to the intensive care unit at Bangkok Hospital, where he has undergone several…

  • Russian invasion spreads to Thailand’s paradise islands | Thaiger

    Russian invasion spreads to Thailand’s paradise islands

    Ukraine isn’t the only nation suffering from a Russian invasion, Thailand is facing it too. Since Russia took exception to Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO and the European Union thousands of Russian citizens have fled to avoid conscription to set up camp in Thailand. Russian roubles may have been welcomed by Thai businesses as the Covid-19 ravaged kingdom looks to…

  • Child harmed from mistakenly eating cannabis jellies | Thaiger

    Child harmed from mistakenly eating cannabis jellies

    Just because you are eating them like candy doesn’t mean children should be eating cannabis jellies. After a young patient was hospitalized for severe palpitations and irregular heartbeat, a Thai doctor issued a warning. He said that children should not be allowed to consume cannabis jellies. Dr Smith Srison, the director of the Medical Council of Thailand and president of…

  • Swedish man accused of running child porn network in Thailand | Thaiger

    Swedish man accused of running child porn network in Thailand

    A 23 year old Swedish man from Stockholm is being prosecuted for allegedly running a huge network selling pornographic images and videos of over 4,000 young girls and women in Thailand. Swedish news outlet SVT Nyheter did not name the man, who is charged with serious child pornography offences and gross illegal invasion of privacy. Yesterday, Sodertorn District Court in…

  • Police officer beheaded after crashing sedan into traffic barrier | Thaiger

    Police officer beheaded after crashing sedan into traffic barrier

    An officer from the Chainart Provincial Police Office was beheaded last night after he crashed his sedan into a traffic barrier. The stationary barrier ripped into his car and took his head off. The dead police officer was reported to be 30 year old Naphatrapee Worawongwaylarath. He was killed by the 10-metre traffic barrier. His damaged black Honda Civic sedan…

  • Woman accused of being a witch and sacrificing neighbourhood cats | Thaiger

    Woman accused of being a witch and sacrificing neighbourhood cats

    A woman is in police custody after residents in the southern province of Songkhla accused her of being a witch and sacrificing neighbourhood cats. Yaowaluck Boonchum was accused by a cat owner of being into the occult after killing her five-month-old Persian cat as a sacrifice. The 44 year old woman denied the allegations, saying she is a cat lover,…

  • Fly direct from Bangkok to the ‘Hawaii of China’ | Thaiger

    Fly direct from Bangkok to the ‘Hawaii of China’

    After a three-year pandemic hiatus, passengers can now fly direct from Bangkok, Thailand to Haikou – “The Hawaii of China” – thanks to resumed services by Hainan Airlines. Hainan Airlines flight HU7939 took off from Haikou Meilan International Airport in China’s Hainan province yesterday at 9.19am local time, bound for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. The resumed route’s inaugural flight was on…

  • Man rejected by employer due to a police mistake | Thaiger

    Man rejected by employer due to a police mistake

    A 25 year old Thai man was rejected by an employer because a police officer in the Isaan province of Buriram mistakenly put his name on a criminal record sheet. Phichitchai Anansook filed a complaint with the Ministry of Justice, saying he was unemployed because of a mistake by Nong Song Hong Police Station. His name was listed as a…

  • MP Rangsiman asks police to seize PM Prayut’s party HQ | Thaiger

    MP Rangsiman asks police to seize PM Prayut’s party HQ

    The Ruam Thai Sang Chart political party headquarters is at the centre of a controversy with the Move Forward Party urging police to take action and seize the Bangkok building. Opponent Rangsiman Rome, a Move Forward Party MP, alleges a senator who owns the building is a money-laundering suspect. MP Rangsiman called on the police chief to follow standard legal…

  • National park officer becomes an alien to promote tourism in southern Thailand | Thaiger

    National park officer becomes an alien to promote tourism in southern Thailand

    A surge in the circulation of extra-terrestrial-related stories on social media in Thailand inspired a national park officer to photo-edit an application to transform herself into an alien. The aim of this transformation was to boost tourism at the Khao Sok National Park, located in the southern province of Surat Thani. The discussion surrounding the existence of UFOs and aliens…

  • Thailand-Myanmar land border in Chiang Rai reopens after 3-year closure | Thaiger

    Thailand-Myanmar land border in Chiang Rai reopens after 3-year closure

    The Thailand-Myanmar land border at the Maesai Border Checkpoint in the northern province of Chaing Rai reopened yesterday after being closed for three years due to Covid-19. Thais and foreigners who want to visit Myanmar need to show a vaccine certificate or Covid test. Maesai Border Checkpoint and Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge 1, which connect Chiang Rai province in Thailand with…

  • Thailand’s tourist entry fee to generate 3.9 billion baht this year | Thaiger

    Thailand’s tourist entry fee to generate 3.9 billion baht this year

    Thailand is expected to gain 3.9 billion baht (US$112 million) in revenue this year by charging tourists an entry fee beginning June 1, Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said yesterday. Last week, Thailand’s Cabinet approved the collection of an entry fee from all foreign tourists, effective June 1. Foreigners arriving by air will be charged 300 baht (US$8.67) and those arriving…

  • TAT teams up with Netflix to create new Thailand travel guide | Thaiger

    TAT teams up with Netflix to create new Thailand travel guide

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has teamed up with Netflix to create an exciting new guide called Uncover Thailand: A Creative Travel Guide. The interactive guide will help tourists discover beautiful locations in Thailand that have been featured in popular films and shows on Netflix. The up-and-coming guide will also provide useful travel advice and fascinating facts to enhance…