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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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The maths of March 24 – Thailand Election 2019
by Tim Newton The views of the writer do not necessarily reflect the views of The Thaiger or its business partners. Since it was first formed in 2008, along with the previous incarnations that swept Thaksin Shinawatra to power in the early 2000s, the Pheu Thai party has remained the dominant force in Thai politics. In 2011 it brought Thaksin’s…
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Bangkok gold shop thief gets away with jewellry valued at 3 million baht
by Kittipong Maneerit A gold shop at a Big C in Rama 4, Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district, was robbed yesterday afternoon.Police are searching for a man in his mid-30s, wearing a shaggy wig, who stole gold ornaments worth a combined 3 million baht.The thief is described by police as about 35, 170 centimetres in height, heavyset and wearing a wig…
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“Might undermine the Thai constitutional monarchy” – Charter Court
The Constitutional Court has disbanded the Thai Raksa Chart Party for nominating a member of the Royal Family as its candidate for PM in the forthcoming election. The ruling said that such a move “might undermine” the Thai constitutional monarchy system, which placed the monarchy above politics. The court ruled unanimously to dissolve the party under Article 92 of the…
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Constitutional Court dissolves Thai Raksa Chart party and bans party members
The Thai Constitutional Court has ordered the dissolution of Thai Raksa Chart Party for naming Prince Ubolratana, a member of the Royal Family, as its prime ministerial candidate. The Court claims this action undermined Thailand’s constitutional monarchy. The court has also banned all 14 members of the party’s executive board from politics for 10 years in a stunning decision that…
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Security tight ahead of Thai Raksa Chart verdict
Security is tight this morning in and around the Constitutional Court building as the court is due to deliver its verdict on the fate of the pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart party. Four sniffer dogs, special-forces police and a bomb disposal team thoroughly searched the area of the court building for firearms and explosives. The number of surveillance cameras has been…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 6
Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Thailand to ban import of plastic waste
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is proposing to the Thai cabinet a total ban on the import of plastic waste into Thailand. The ban would start in 2020. Thai PBS reports that the Natural Resources and Environment Minister Gen Surasak Karnjanarat says, that as imports of plastic waste are to end next year, Thailand will increase recycling of…
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Thanathorn’s “unfinished 1932 mission” questioned
PHOTO: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit appears on Channel 3 “May I ask what is the 1932 unfinished mission that Thanathorn, the party leader, announced he will complete?” The Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit’s controversial remarks, that one of the party’s policies is to complete the ‘unfinished mission of the 1932 coup makers’, has provoked a strong reaction among Thai royalists. The…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 5
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to…
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Same same but not very different – Election 2019
By Jintana Panyaarvudh Campaigning ahead of the March 24 election is getting a little too heated in the view of some observers. The old habit of slinging mud between rival politicians has revived prompting critics to raise concerns. “The world has evolved but Thai politicians have failed to develop or employ new, creative methods in their campaigns to attract voters,”…
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Air quality for Thailand – March 4
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive…
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Chiang Mai kids are demanding action on air pollution
PHOTOS: Facebook / Pharadon Phonamnua Children and their parents in Chiang Mai are sick of the poor air quality in the northern capital and have issued a new Facebook challenge with the hashtag #CleanAirAct. The Facebook page has their photos taken with an “anti-PM2.5 dust” flags, they want action and they want it NOW. Campaign organiser Pharadon Phonamnuai, pointing out that…
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The Koh Samui tunnel – “it definitely had all the proper documentation”
The 84 metre tunnel, rediscovered last week by a foreign tourist visiting the north of Koh Samui, is starting to reveal more of its secrets. This week island authorities announced they would prosecute the builders of the tunnel because they were unable to find any supporting documentation or permissions for the construction. The Koh Samui land office could, however, confirm…
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Chinese resurgence, Russian stability feature in tourist arrivals for the start of 2019
The Chinese returned in numbers at the start of 2019 giving the Land of Smiles a spectacular start for the year with a total of 3.7 million visitors in January 2019. This was a nearly 5% rise in total tourist numbers from the same month last year. Mainland China continues to lead Thailand’s source market with just over a million arrivals…
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Saying no to ‘Say No’ campaigns – Tackling Thailand’s plastic bag problem
Some timid but long overdue steps are now being taken towards reducing Thailand’s plastic waste. Baby steps to start with but there is no doubt that the issue has now entered the Thai national psyche. In reaction, so far, Thai businesses have, for the most part, made only cursory PR efforts at tackling the bigger problem but, again, it’s a…
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Day One of burning ban – Chiang Mai still choking on poor air quality
PHOTOS: The Nation Air pollution remains above the official safety limit in and around Chiang Mai today – the first day of a 50 day ban on all burning. Next door, in Mae Hong Son, the level of PM2.5 micron airborne particulates measured 93 micrograms per cubic metre of air, nearly double the safe limit of 50mcg. Chiang Mai measures…
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Light at the end of the tunnel – Koh Samui’s mystery mountain tunnel
Officers have closed off access to the ‘mysterious’ tunnel on Koh Samui linking two sides of a small hill. They say they’re waiting for the company which owns the land, linked by the tunnel, to front up with a permit to build it. A tourist trekking in the Ban Tai area last week stumbled on the 84 metre long tunnel.…
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American man and Thai woman arrested in Chiang Mai cannabis factory raids
PHOTOS: The Nation Narcotics police in Chiang Mai have arrested a 44 year old American man and a 37 year old Thai woman in separate raids on two houses in Mae Rim district. Police alleged the houses were used as cannabis production facilities. Police allegedly found cannabis in multiple forms – dried, liquid, tablets as well as plants. Inside one…
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Future Forward leader Thanathorn spared detention, for now
The leader of a pro-democracy party, Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, and two of his colleagues were spared detention in a case involving criticism of the junta on TV last week. Dashing earlier speculation that the trio would be held in custody, the attorney-general ordered them freed for now, saying they had voluntarily turned themselves in. Bail bond was also…
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Constitutional court to rule Thai Raksa Chart’s fate next week
by Kas Chanwanpen Thai Raksa Chart Party will know its fate next week after the Constitutional Court yesterday scheduled March 7 to read its verdict on whether the party should be dissolved following a petition from the Election Commission (EC). The final judgement next week will be made based on the evidence submitted to the court earlier and there will…
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Using religion in your election campaign is OK: Election Commission
The Election Commission (EC) has ruled that it is acceptable to use religion and religious symbolism while campaigning for the upcoming general election. EC secretary-general Jarungwit Phumma said this decision was made in response to a petition from a Buddhist coordination centre, which questioned a candidate’s use of the Lord Buddha in his campaign banner. “Using religion is not against…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 27
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand It is a great day to be active…
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PM disses debates “I just don’t see the necessity to take part”
by Kas Chanwanpen A prime ministerial candidate is refusing to take part in any of the televised political debates in the lead up to the election on March 24. Dismissing growing calls to join the up-coming round of debates, NCPO chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha has affirmed that he attached no importance to the calls for him to outline his vision,…
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Southern ranger killed, two injured in Yala bomb ambush
PHOTOS: The Nation Southern insurgents have detonated a home-made bomb in a roadside ambush of a patrol unit of rangers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district. The fatal incident happened this morning, killing one ranger and injuring another. Yala provincial police were informed of the blast at 9.25am. It occurred on the main road in Tambon Bacho’s Ban Ubae village. 33…
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British Airways flight buffeted by strong winds – VIDEO
British Airways flight was forced to divert from its planned course after encountering strong gusts off the coast of southern Europe yesterday. Flight BA492 was scheduled to take off from London Heathrow airport at 8:25 a.m. and land in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar at 12:20 p.m. But it eventually touched down at 12:41 p.m. in the southern Spanish…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 25
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to…
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“New drug laws don’t legalise unlicensed marijuana cultivation”
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rushed to clarify that the new narcotics law does not legalise the unrestricted planting of marijuana in an apparent response to the Bhumjai Thai political party’s manifesto pledge to legalise marijuana cultivation. The party trotted out the election platform last week during their campaigning. FDA secretary-general Dr. Tharet Kratnairaveewong has clarified that the…
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American backpacker refuses to pay for girl he brought back to hostel, punches staff
An American backpacker tourist, visiting Chiang Mai, had to be restrained after getting into a squabble with hostel staff after being asked to leave the premises. The video of the altercation was shared on Reddit by ‘EatPrayFart’. Following a night out, the backpacker brought a girl back to the mixed dorm room that he shared with nine other people. The report…
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PM visits Finnish boy attacked by dogs in Krabi
Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday paid a visit to a five year old Finnish boy who was attacked by stray dogs at Ao Nong beach on Wednesday late afternoon. Read more about the attack HERE. The young Finnish boy, savaged by a pack of dogs living on the beach, continues to recover at the Krabi Nakarin International Hospital. Krabi’s Governor visited…
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Air quality for Thailand – February 22
Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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