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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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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...
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Thailand expected to review list of countries eligible for “Test & Go” scheme
The Thai government is expected to review the list of countries eligible for the Test & Go entry scheme, as concerns over the Omicron variant mount. Supoj Malaniyom from the CCSA says Covid-19 screening will be intensified and the list of eligible countries will be revised. According to a Bangkok Post report, the CCSA is expected to identify a number…
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3 passengers test positive for Omicron when they arrive on Koh Samui
Three recent arrivals on the Gulf island of Koh Samui have been detected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 – 2 British citizens and 1 Belgian. The 3 include a 54 year old British woman, a 55 year old Belgian man and a 56 year old British man. The 3 new cases are the first, not only for the holiday…
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Bangkok street food vendors welcome return of tourists to Khao San Road
Street sellers on Bangkok’s Khao San Road are celebrating the welcome return of foreign tourists and say life is finally beginning to return to normal. The Bangkok Post has spoken to a number of tourists and the street food vendors serving them. 51 year old Wan Suripar is one of them and she hopes this is the beginning of the…
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Porn site raided after posting photoshopped image of exec
A popular porn sharing site was raided and shut down by police today after sharing the wrong photo – a photoshopped image of a hospital executive. The offending image was discovered by the person whose face was photoshopped onto a pornographic image, and they filed a complaint leading to the bust. A Nonthaburi court issued a warrant to raid a…
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British Airways cancels over 2,000 flights including Bangkok
In the face of the spread of Covid-19 as infections surge in the UK, British Airways have suspended all their flights travelling to Bangkok until October of next year. Rumours began circulating about the possible cancellation earlier this week with popular travel sites speculating about the major airline suspending the route. Many passengers told stories of receiving cancellation notices from…
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New Year’s events reminded of Covid-19 safety and 1 am booze curfew
New Year’s Eve is fast approaching and some big parties have been cleared to proceed, but the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is reminding people that the Covid-19 safety regulations need to be followed still, including the rule that alcohol can only be served until 1 am. The BMA’s public relations page announced that Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang will be following all…
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Second riot in Krabi Prison sees 14 injuries an massive fire
After a riot that broke out last night in Krabi Provincial Prison was declared to have been brought under control this afternoon, a second riot broke out with 14 injuries and a massive fire. The original riot broke out over alleged special treatment of an inmate who was brought off-site for Covid-19 treatment while others were cared for inside the…
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Man arrested in Isaan for allegedly smuggling 550 kilograms of cannabis
Around 550 kilograms of compressed cannabis was seized from a pickup truck in the Isaan province Sakhon Nakhon, which is close to the Laos border. Officers from the Crime Suppression Division confiscated the cannabis and arrested a 34 year old man. Officer had received a top that a crime syndicate planned to traffic the cannabis from Laos and into Thailand.…
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300 million baht illegal online gambling site busted in Nonthaburi
A raid in Nonthaburi in the Bangkok suburbs resulted in a 300 million baht illegal online gambling enterprise being shut down. Police from the Region 1 station obtained arrest warrants for 2 luxury homes in Nonthaburi province estates after tracking down where the online gambling operation was based. The website, which had amassed a following of 40,000 members, was at…
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5 subcommittees set up to examine casino complex proposal
5 subcommittees have been established to tackle the proposal to legalise building a casino entertainment complex as part of the House’s committee on the subject. A Palang Pracharath Party spokeswoman for the committee said each subcommittee will focus on different aspects of pushing the legislation forward. The proposal to legalise gambling and allow the government to collect tax revenue has…
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First victim of illegal sidewalk parking crackdown: Chiang Mai police
After slacking on enforcement while attention has been focused on Covid-19, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has told officers to take action on illegal driving and parking on sidewalks. They are partnering with the Royal Thai Police who are encouraging a nationwide crackdown on illegal sidewalk parking. But one of the first victims busted for it ended up being the police…
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Zara heads for Phuket in her quest to be the youngest woman to fly around the world, solo
Zara Rutherford arrives in Phuket next week. In a plane. In her own plane. Alone. The 19 year old is dropping into Phuket (maybe ‘dropping’ is the wrong word) as part of her ground-breaking around-the-world journey in a microlight/ultralight plane. She flew out of Belgium, heading west, in August this year, to fly solo around the world flying in a…
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“Tourist Police i lert u” mobile app launched to help tourists quickly
“Tourist Police i lert u” is a new mobile app launched yesterday to allow tourists quick access to emergency response and general assistance. The app was launched by the Tourist Police as a means to improve safety by providing easy access to help when needed. The app comes at the same time as the Ministry of Tourism launched a tourism…
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Political activist and hunger striker Chalard Worachat dies of heart attack
The prominent political activist Chalard Worachat has died of a heart attack at his home in Bangkok, according to a Thai PBS World report. The 78 year old rose to prominence as a serial hunger striker, frequently forgoing food to protest political developments. Once the Democrat MP for Trat province in 1979, and then for Bangkok in 1986, he left…
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Thailand launches new tourism portal to make visiting the Land of Smiles easier
The Tourism Ministry has launched a new online portal it hopes will make visiting Thailand easier for the 8 – 15 million tourists currently expected next year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the website, called Entry Thailand, has been allocated a budget of 49.6 million baht for its first phase. The portal lists the information and documents travellers need…
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New rules for scuba diving boats in Thailand to increase safety
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Warawut Silpa-archa has introduced new safety measures that ban large commercial scuba diving boats from getting too close to dive sites. The rule would apply to national parks only so far and would require big boats to stay 100 to 200 metres from dives sites. Scuba companies that offer diving by taking many customers…
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Phuket taxi charged with death of Swiss tourist in motorbike crash
An accident in Phuket has left a Swiss tourist dead and a local taxi driver in custody being charged with his death. The crash took place Monday when taxi driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and ploughed into the Swiss man who was driving by on his motorbike. The accident took place near Nai Harn in Rawai sub-district. Witnesses…
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Toll fee waived for Motorways 7 and 9 for 4-day New Year’s weekend
As a New Year’s gift for motorists in Bangkok and the surrounding areas, the Cabinet has approved a waiver for every toll fee on the busy number 7 and number 9 Motorways from December 30 to January 3. The move is not just a chance for drivers to save money, but also will half reduce traffic congestion and in turn,…
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Thailand’s 16th Annual PropertyGuru Award Winners
Thailand’s 16th annual PropertyGuru Awards has given Sansiri Public Company Limited the Best Developer award while other highly-reputable companies and developers took home other coveted awards. Established in 2005, the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards originated the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series, which has expanded over the years to cover 16 dynamic real estate markets, including Australia, the Chinese territories, Japan,…
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The Christmas scene on shiny, sparkly Samui
Are you looking to celebrate Christmas in Koh Samui? The magical Gulf of Thailand island features an expat community that makes sure to bring a slice of home with them, especially during the holidays. Here, we have a list of venues that are offering Christmas celebrations that may include fine dining and Santa’s grotto for the little ones. At The…
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No confirmation on whether January 1 re-opening of Maya Bay can go ahead
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation says it’s still waiting to hear from the Natural Resources and Environment Minister if the re-opening of Maya Bay can go ahead. The hugely popular tourist draw was expected to re-open from January 1 and Damras Phoprasit from the DNP says he’s already reassured Minister Varawut Silpa-archa that the newly-constructed pier…
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Thai aviation sector calls for visa waiver for international travellers
Thailand’s aviation sector is calling on the government to introduce a visa waiver scheme for international arrivals to boost demand. The Airlines Association of Thailand says global competition for tourists is getting tough and the government needs to do more to attract international visitors. “We are in a fierce competition as every country needs tourists to cushion the economic impact.…
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Thai government happy with results of economic stimulus measures
A spokesman says officials are pleased with the results of 4 economic stimulus measures introduced by the government. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says over 41.3 million citizens have spent over 223.82 billion baht, thanks to the 4 schemes, describing the results as satisfactory. The stimulus campaigns were introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic in an attempt to boost the economy and help those…
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Pro-democracy activists rally in Bangkok, call for lèse-majesté law to be abolished
An anti-establishment protest in Bangkok passed off without incident yesterday, as activists called for Thailand’s lèse-majesté law to be revoked. The law, also known as section 112 of the Criminal Code, prohibits defaming, criticising, or otherwise insulting the monarchy. Pro-democracy protesters gathered at the Ratchaprasong intersection in the capital yesterday afternoon, with the protest organised by a group called the…
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Geminid meteor shower: 100s of shooting stars visible late Monday night
For those up late tomorrow night, the Geminid meteor shower will be visible in the night sky late on Monday night. The heavenly display happens each year, usually between December 4 and December 17 each year and is one of the best opportunities to see dozens of shooting stars with the naked eye. In a post on Facebook, the National…
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NIDA Poll: majority oppose legalising gambling and casinos
The National Institute of Development Administration released a poll recently that showed that the majority of Thai people are opposed to the legalisation of casinos and gambling. The NIDA poll showed that most people think that online gambling and video games with betting should also remain illegal. 1,318 people were surveyed by telephone between December 6 and December 8 for…
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Holiday travel: Poll finds most don’t have New Year’s plans
A new survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University finds that most people do not have plans to travel over the New Year’s holiday, citing costs and worries of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as the main reason to stay put. The Suan Dusit Poll was conducted from December 6 to December 9 and interviewed 1,304 people across all locations, ages,…
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Family pleas for help repatriating British man who died in Thailand
After a 44 year old British man died suddenly shortly after arriving in Thailand, his devastated family is trying to raise cash to pay his hospital bills and bring him home. Daniel Skipper came to Thailand with friends from his home town of Walton-le-Dale and Bamber Bridge in Lancashire, England and only a few days later he suffered a heart…
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