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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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    Why long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht

    Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...

  • UPDATE: Thai singer “Ammy” arrested for allegedly setting fire to royal portrait | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Thai singer “Ammy” arrested for allegedly setting fire to royal portrait

    UPDATE: A popular Thai singer from the band Bottom Blues was arrested in Ayutthaya on lèse majesté charges for allegedly setting a portrait of HM the King on fire. Yesterday, the Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for those suspected of burning a portrait of HM the King outside a Bangkok prison on Sunday. Police earlier denied arresting the singer, Chai-amorn…

  • Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO | Thaiger

    Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO

    There was 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, Patong’s nightlife was quiet enough, almost non-existent. Now when the restrictions are lifted, Nimz will take you through Phuket’s famous nightlife spot Bangla Road,…

  • WildAid launches ad campaign in Thailand to raise awareness about illegal wildlife trade | Thaiger

    WildAid launches ad campaign in Thailand to raise awareness about illegal wildlife trade

    The following is a press release submitted by WildAid, a non-profit organisation pushing to end illegal wildlife trade. In honor of World Wildlife Day, WildAid is launching a series of advertisements highlighting the plight of endangered species, a result of poaching to meet consumer demand for wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horns, shark fin, tiger parts and helmeted…

  • “Sawadee Thailand” travel insurance covers Covid-19 medical expenses | Thaiger

    “Sawadee Thailand” travel insurance covers Covid-19 medical expenses

    The following is a press release submitted by AXA Thailand on its “Sawasdee Thailand” travel insurance which covers the required Covid-19 medical insurance for those travelling to Thailand. AXA Thailand General Insurance is offering “Sawasdee Thailand”, a comprehensive travel insurance that includes health coverage for foreigners traveling to Thailand, offering up to 3.5-million-baht of medical expenses including COVID-19 which meets…

  • Bangkok Military Court issues arrest warrant for medic accused of injecting troops with fake Covid-19 vaccine | Thaiger

    Bangkok Military Court issues arrest warrant for medic accused of injecting troops with fake Covid-19 vaccine

    The Bangkok Military Court has issued an arrest warrant for a Royal Thai Army medic who is accused of injecting troops with a fake Covid-19 vaccine. He reportedly made more than 100,000 baht by charging troops, who were on a United Nations mission, 500 baht each for a tetanus vaccine and a fake Covid-19 vaccine, which an internal army investigation…

  • Deceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up | Thaiger

    Deceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up

    In a nightmarish scenario, a deceased Phuket expat’s body is stuck in a Thai hospital as his step‐daughter claims hospital administrators won’t release the body due to a passport mix‐up. Gemma Swift, the step‐daughter of 75 year old David Donoghue, who died 2 weeks ago, says she is pleading with embassy staff in Thailand to resolve, what she says, is…

  • Miss Universe Thailand sacked from mental health role over political comments | Thaiger

    Miss Universe Thailand sacked from mental health role over political comments

    Miss Universe Thailand, 28 year old Amanda Chalisa Obdam, has been sacked by the Department of Mental Health over political comments posted on Facebook. The Thai-Canadian woman was appointed as mental health ambassador on February 25, having won the Miss Universe Thailand title in October. Nation Thailand reports that her dismissal is due to comments she posted on Facebook in…

  • Covid-free Samui, Phangan, Tao offer tourism discounts until end of April | Thaiger

    Covid-free Samui, Phangan, Tao offer tourism discounts until end of April

    The Covid-free gulf islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao are offering special discounts and privileges to tourists until the end of April. Over 80 tourism operators are taking part in the scheme which can be accessed by clicking on www.samui-phangan-tao-speciallink.com. Surat Thani, which includes Koh Samui, is 1 of 4 provinces to receive the first delivery of…

  • Gunman kills mayoral candidate, injures 4 other municipal candidates at funeral | Thaiger

    Gunman kills mayoral candidate, injures 4 other municipal candidates at funeral

    UPDATE: Recent reports say 6 people were injured in the shooting. The suspect has surrendered to police. A gunman shot and killed a woman running for mayor and wounded 4 others at a funeral in Ratchaburi, a province west of Bangkok near the Myanmar border. Police say they suspect the shooting was politically motivated. Out of the 4 people injured,…

  • Police investigate reports of women’s underwear stolen from Phuket homes | Thaiger

    Police investigate reports of women’s underwear stolen from Phuket homes

    Police in Phuket are looking for a suspect who residents say has been stealing women’s underwear. Surveillance camera footage from a resident’s home shows a teenager driving through a neighbourhood, then stopping and stealing ladies panties that were hanging up to dry. One resident told Phuket News that numerous residents in Thalang’s Baan Lipon area have reported missing underwear. “Recently…

  • Phuket pushes to open doors to vaccinated international tourists by October | Thaiger

    Phuket pushes to open doors to vaccinated international tourists by October

    Phuket is set to open its doors to vaccinated, international tourists by October, pending the government’s approval. The local government’s initiative, named Phuket First October, proposes vaccinating a majority of its population over 18 years of age in time for the high season. The move would allow thousands of vaccinated Europeans to enter Thailand, while locals would be protected from…

  • Cannabis could generate 8 billion baht for Thai pharmaceutical industry by 2025, expert says | Thaiger

    Cannabis could generate 8 billion baht for Thai pharmaceutical industry by 2025, expert says

    Cannabis could become a major cash crop in Thailand. An expert says the cannabis-based medicinal products could generate up to 8 billion baht for the Thai pharmaceutical industry by 2025. Medical cannabis has been legal in Thailand for the past couple years, but recently the government agreed to allow parts of the plant with very, low traces of the “high-inducing”…

  • Another drug bust near the Mekong River, 500 kilograms of cannabis seized | Thaiger

    Another drug bust near the Mekong River, 500 kilograms of cannabis seized

    In another drug bust in Northeastern province Nakhon Phanom, police arrested a man and seized 500 kilograms of compressed cannabis. Just yesterday, border patrol police in the province seized 920 kilograms of compressed cannabis from a boat on the Mekong River. In both cases, police suspect the cannabis came from Laos, just across the river. Police say they searched a…

  • Police seize 920 kilograms of cannabis smuggled across the Mekong River | Thaiger

    Police seize 920 kilograms of cannabis smuggled across the Mekong River

    In a major bust on the Mekong River, notorious for drug smuggling, border patrol police seized 920 kilograms of dried, compacted cannabis from a boat along the Nakhon Phanom riverbank, bordering Laos. Police were tipped off about a large shipment of drugs being trafficked across the Thai-Laos border. Police spotted a boat around 4am yesterday. When police moved in, men…

  • At least 22 people arrested at Bangkok protest, officer dies of heart failure | Thaiger

    At least 22 people arrested at Bangkok protest, officer dies of heart failure

    At least 22 people were arrested during the Bangkok protest yesterday, which turned violent as pro-democracy activists marched toward the prime minister’s residence, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. An officer died during the rally, which the human rights group says was due to heart failure. Some protesters threw ping pong bombs and firecrackers in the violent clash with…

  • Bryde’s whale in Gulf of Thailand gives birth to third baby | Thaiger

    Bryde’s whale in Gulf of Thailand gives birth to third baby

    A Bryde’s whale living in the Gulf of Thailand has given birth to her third baby whale. Nation Thailand reports that Mae Thong Dee was photographed by wildlife photographer Jirayu Ekkul, whose team has been monitoring the whale. It’s understood she has a number of injuries, including a ripped dorsal fin and serious eye injuries. “We found Mae Thong Dee…

  • Royal Thai Police accused of “ticket” promotion system to buy senior positions | Thaiger

    Royal Thai Police accused of “ticket” promotion system to buy senior positions

    The Royal Thai Police are being accused of using so-called “elephant tickets” to buy their way into promotions and pay their way up the police force’s chain of command. The corruption among the police force and the buying of positions without meeting the requirements for a promotion has been a longtime problem, according to the Bangkok Post. The “elephant ticket”…

  • Woman talks about the life of a Thai “pretty” after model’s death | Thaiger

    Woman talks about the life of a Thai “pretty” after model’s death

    Following the news of a model who died after working as a hostess at a Bangkok party, Thai media spoke with a woman, known in Thailand as a “pretty,” about what it’s like to work in the lucrative, yet shady Thai model entertainment industry where many work as hostesses at parties and events that often involve alcohol, drugs and sex…

  • International travellers allowed to transit Thailand from Monday | Thaiger

    International travellers allowed to transit Thailand from Monday

    International travellers will now be allowed to transit Thailand from Monday after the Civil Aviation Authority relaxed Covid‐19 measures. The lifting of stringent travel regulations comes after Thailand reports a drop in Covid infections to double digits since February 20. CAAT also says regulations are being relaxed on domestic travel as well. The authority says operators of domestic flights can…

  • Bangkok police raid house where model died after playing hostess | Thaiger

    Bangkok police raid house where model died after playing hostess

    Bangkok police are investigating a model’s death after raiding a Chatuchak district house where the model died after being hired as a hostess. The model, Whitchayaporn ‘Wa’ Visessombut, was hired along with other women to serve drinks and entertain guests at a private residence last Monday. Then, the next day, she died of respiratory failure after being brought unconscious to…

  • The social media giants in battle with ‘old’ media and world governments | VIDEO | Thaiger

    The social media giants in battle with ‘old’ media and world governments | VIDEO

    https://youtu.be/HKKIuWHw_t8 “The rules signal greater willingness by countries around the world to rein in big tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter that the governments fear have become too powerful with little accountability.” India has issued strict new rules for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms just weeks after the Indian government attempted to pressure Twitter to take…

  • Japan may stop assistance projects to Myanmar in response to coup | Thaiger

    Japan may stop assistance projects to Myanmar in response to coup

    Japan may stop assistance projects to Myanmar in response to the military coup, which has received major international backlash. As a major donor to Myanmar, Japan joins other advanced nations in condemning the coup which has seen security forces using violence against peaceful protesters. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was quoted as saying in a phone call that “Japan will strongly…

  • Thailand’s most exclusive Beach Club | BaBa Beach Club Hua Hin | VIDEO | Thaiger

    Thailand’s most exclusive Beach Club | BaBa Beach Club Hua Hin | VIDEO

    Nothing speaks more ‘private’ and ‘vacation’ than enjoying the beachfront view with a balcony pool and luxurious room. Follow Chris, as he (along with his family) takes you on a private get away in Hua Hin, one of Thailand’s most popular beach destinations on the Gulf of Thailand coast, for both tourists and locals. *our vlogger’s stay at the BaBa…

  • Roadtrippers take a break at petrol station only to find dead body under car | Thaiger

    Roadtrippers take a break at petrol station only to find dead body under car

    A group of holiday road trippers from Pathum Thani got a horrifying surprise after finding a partial human body underneath one of their cars. The group was on their way to Koh Chang when they stopped at a petrol station this morning in the eastern province of Khao Saming. The 10 holidaymakers reported the discovery at Sawang Sawai PTT petrol…

  • Long Buddhist holiday to see over 40 percent reduction in domestic tourism | Thaiger

    Long Buddhist holiday to see over 40 percent reduction in domestic tourism

    The long Buddhist festival holiday, which starts today, is set to see over a 40% reduction in domestic tourism. The Tourism and Transport Authority of Thailand has made the estimation which tallies around 1.09 million domestic trips, a number that is down 44% from last year’s Makha Bucha Day. The 2nd wave of the Covid pandemic this year has made…

  • Jailed former politicians await outcome of bail hearing | Thaiger

    Jailed former politicians await outcome of bail hearing

    8 former politicians, now behind bars for their role in protests that toppled the Yingluck Shinawatra administration and led to the 2014 military coup, are waiting for the outcome of their bail hearing. The detainees, all former members of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, are Suthep Thaugsuban, Issara Somchai, Chumpol Julsai, the Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam, Education Minister, Nataphol…

  • Police investigate “offensive” posts on Facebook pages of jailed activists | Thaiger

    Police investigate “offensive” posts on Facebook pages of jailed activists

    The authorities are investigating the origin of content deemed offensive, which has appeared on the Facebook pages of 2 jailed activists, despite them having no access to phones or the internet. The Department of Corrections has asked the Technology Crime Suppression Division to investigate content posted on the pages of jailed protest leaders Parit Chiwarak and Anon Nampa. Both Parit…

  • Motorbike taxi attacked tourist in Pattaya because he was annoyed | Thaiger

    Motorbike taxi attacked tourist in Pattaya because he was annoyed

    A Pattaya motorbike taxi driver is saying he was annoyed when he attacked a Chilean man out of nowhere early yesterday morning. Amorn “Jeab” Boonmee was arrested after confessing to allegedly slapping and kicking 24 year old Salvatore Andres Castromedina, breaking his nose. According Khaosod English, Amorn says he acted in a “blind moment of fury” because he was annoyed…

  • Did the Covid-19 virus actually originate in Thailand? | VIDEO | Thaiger

    Did the Covid-19 virus actually originate in Thailand? | VIDEO

    South East Asia was the source of Covid-19, not China. Even more specifically, it came from Thailand… from the famous Chatuchak market, or, as quoted correctly “a market LIKE Chatuchak”. That’s the claims of a Danish epidemiologist Thea Kolsen Fischer, who was on a recent World Health Organisation fact-finding mission to Wuhan to examine the origins of the latest coronavirus…

  • Thailand law enforcement gets new “laser” narcotics analysers | Thaiger

    Thailand law enforcement gets new “laser” narcotics analysers

    Thailand law enforcement will now use a new “laser” narcotics analyser to test suspicious substances and chemicals in major drug busts. It’s apparently a more accurate method to identify illicit drugs than the current colour test. The new portable drug test happens to come a few months after Thailand claimed to have seized 11.5 tonnes of ketamine in the “biggest…