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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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Plan underway to screen Thailand’s no-confidence vote
Four universities and four free TV channels in Thailand are working together to find a way to screen this week’s censure debate for the public. The idea is to give the nation’s citizens a vote on each cabinet member’s performance from 6pm on Friday, the last day of the censure motion. The vote result won’t be taken into account, but…
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No confidence debate – Day 2. Transport minister asked to explain 5.7 trillion baht budget.
Opposition MPs have, so far, failed to lay a knockout punch on the Thai PM or any of his ministers, at this stage of the four-day censure debate. Today the opposition has been targeting Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob over one of Thailand’s mega projects – the MR Map. The MR Map is a list of mega projects around the country,…
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Driver surrenders to police after dumping injured 5 year old boy in front of hospital
The pickup truck driver who fled the scene after dumping an injured 5 year old boy outside a Bangkok hospital has finally surrendered himself to police. The 5 year old boy was dropped in front of Suksawat Hospital in Rat Burana district at about 3pm yesterday by pickup driver Arnon Nantra. The boy was suffering from a broken hip, wounds,…
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Thailand’s iconic Maya Bay to temporarily close again
Thailand’s iconic Maya Bay – located on Koh Pi Pi Leh in Krabi province – will be off-limits to tourists for the duration of August and September for another period of environmental restoration. The bay, made famous by “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, reopened to tourists on January 1 after a three and a half year closure. All tourist activities…
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Police arrest man wanted for South Thailand murder
Police arrested a man wanted for a murder in South Thailand in March. The suspect, 37 year old Somsak Plano, had allegedly shot at three brothers, killing one of them and injuring another. Somsak’s alleged crime was believed to be related to a personal conflict. The incident happened in the Phato district of Chumphon province on March 2. According to…
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US thug gets 5 years for brutal assault of Thai model in subway
The serial offender who launched a violent attack on a Thai model in a New York City Subway will be jailed for five years after pleading guilty. Thug Kevin Douglas admitted second-degree robbery for the brutal assault of Bew Jirajariyawetch while she waited at the 34th Street-Herald Square station for a train home on November 22 last year. Douglas struck…
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Pattaya man allegedly stabs relative after drinking together
A Pattaya man allegedly stabbed his relative earlier this week after the two of them drank together. The suspect, 22 year old Amnart, allegedly stabbed 42 year old Songklod in his stomach. The incident happened in front of their home in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri province. Songklod’s sister, Kanissara Mahamat, told Bang Lamung police… “The suspect and…
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South Thailand Muslim representatives still pushing against cannabis legalisation
South Thailand’s Muslim representatives aren’t giving up their fight against Thailand’s cannabis legalisation. Yesterday, the Satun Provincial Islamic Committee of the Islamic Network submitted a petition calling on the government to revise the decriminalization of cannabis and hemp. A representative from one group involved, the Satun Center for Protesting Against Unethical Laws and Regulations, vowed that the groups would call…
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Police superintendent and 4 others charged in 6 million baht corruption
A British man desperate to get out of jail was cheated out of 6 million baht which he used to try and buy his freedom, with five people charged in the scheme. A Mae Hong Son police superintendent claimed to be using his connection to the assistant national police chief to curry favour and was the highest ranking officer charged.…
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“Climate change is here,” UK Met Office – heatwaves sweep over the northern hemisphere
Records were broken, people were staying inside and shops were doing brisk sales of fans. Temperatures in the UK hit 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in recorded history yesterday, making it the country’s hottest day ever. With UK houses better designed to keep the cold out and the heat in, the unseasonal heat was challenging people across the…
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Thai PM hits back at opposition “try and bring back Thaksin”
“I know you may admire some people who previously held this position and praise them for doing a better job than me. That’s fine. Just bring them back if you can.” The first day of the no confidence debate saw some fiery exchanges between the PM and the opposition MPs goading him on his record and time as premier. Prime…
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Tourism associations meet with Thai PM urging more assistance
A consortium of 12 tourism associations from around Thailand are calling on the government to simplify the current tourism stimulus schemes saying the situation was urgent. They told the Thai PM on Monday that they remained “sceptical” of the complicated web of programs that will do the intended job of stimulating travel – domestic and international. One of the representatives,…
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Pro-Prayut James Bond “008” posters mocked by opposition
A pro-government Facebook page, Priang News, (เปรี้ยง) which created several James Bond-type 008, No Time to Die posters, in support of Cabinet members during this week’s censure debate, has been mocked by the opposition. Priang News created posters saying PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will not be “killed” stating the Bond movie No Time to Die and using the hashtag #FightEveryProblem. Pheu…
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No confidence debate – Day one. Opposition attacks Anutin over botched cannabis laws.
As expected, today’s censure debate in the Thai parliament has kicked off with the opposition targeting Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Last week opposition parties revealed their tactics to attack the Bhumjaithai party leader, who brings some 60 votes to the coalition table. Today they launched straight into their attacks on the mercurial deputy PM who has championed the decriminalisation…
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MP warns Thais to be wary after fake job agency scams 50 women
The Minister of Labour warned citizens to be wary after a group of Thai women were swindled out of thousands by a fraudulent job agency. Suchart Chomklin acknowledged he was aware of scams on a number of Facebook accounts that are advertising attractive job positions in places such as the United Arab Emirates where they are promising one thing but…
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Cash-strapped BMTA gets green light for 7.5 billion baht loan
The Thai Cabinet approved a more than 7.5 billion baht loan to the debt-ridden Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. Deputy Government Spokesperson, Trisuree Trisaranakul, yesterday reported that the cash-strapped BMTA would borrow 7.516 billion baht from the next year’s budget because it lacked financial liquidity. Trisuree added that BMTA has been facing cash-flow problems due to operational losses and lack of…
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Human Rights Watch calls on Thai protesters on hunger strike to be released
From Human Rights Watch… (Published as provided) Thai authorities should immediately drop the charges and release pro-democracy activists detained for insulting the monarchy (lese majeste), Human Rights Watch said today. Two of the activists, Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom and Nutthanit “Bai Por” Duangmusit, have been on a hunger strike since June 2, 2022, to protest their pretrial detention at Bangkok’s Central…
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Thailand could generate up to US$65 billion in tourism revenue next year, says TAT
Yesterday, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said the country’s tourism industry could generate up to US$65 billion, or 2.38 trillion baht, next year. The revenue could equate to around 80% of pre-pandemic tourism revenue, said Governor of the TAT Yuthasak Supasorn. Comparatively, the TAT expects Thailand to actualise 1.5 trillion baht in tourism revenue this year. Yuthasak expects Thailand to…
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Doubts over Thailand’s 2028 completion date for high speed rail link
Despite last week’s announcement that the high-speed railway from Bangkok to the Laos border would be completed by 2028, there remain lingering doubts about whether the Thai government is fully committed to the project, valued at about US$12 billion. Questions are being raised about perceived benefits to Thailand or how the government can recover any of the costs. The new…
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China may take over the moon, warns head of NASA
NASA warns that, while the sky may not be falling, the moon may be falling… into China’s hands. The head of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in an interview that China has plans in place and a partnership with Russia for a lunar base by 2035 and he fears it may be a bid to assert ownership…
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More doubts over the introduction of the new Thai tourist arrival tax
Last week the Thai government announced that the new “tourism tax,” an arrival levy of 300 baht per person to provide compulsory insurance coverage, was on track for a Q4 introduction. It was announced that the airlines would collect the 300 baht from ALL foreigners entering Thailand, with no exemptions. Now international airlines are joining a long line of opposition…
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Police investigate death of British man found in Pattaya canal
Thai police are investigating the mysterious death of a British expat found dead yesterday morning face down in the Najomtien drainage canal in Pattaya. Richard Wayne Moorcroft is believed to have slipped when out jogging, banged his head, knocked himself unconscious, and slid into the canal. The 63 year old was dressed in jogging clothing when he was found at…
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Thai PM faces uncertain outcome as censure debate kicks off today
The four day censure debate kicks off today, with the Thai PM and his cabinet ministers, targeted for censure, confident they will emerge unscathed. The actual no confidence motion will be put to the vote on Saturday after four days of drilling from opposition MPs. The weekly Cabinet meeting was moved back to yesterday to accommodate the week of parliamentary…
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Pegasus spyware found on phones of activists in Thailand
A new report has revealed that dozens of Thai democracy activists were targeted by an Israeli spyware programme called Pegasus during the height of intense anti-government protests over the past two years. The joint report, by the Thai NGO iLaw, Digital Reach, and The Citizen Lab, claims that the phones of 30 activists, academics, lawyers, and NGO workers, mostly connected to civil…
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Alcohol ban tightening in homeless centre after in-house murder
The Chon Buri Homeless Protection Centre is vowing to crack down on their alcohol ban after a drunk homeless man used a broken booze bottle to kill another homeless man. The bizarre and grisly murder carried out by the intoxicated tenant has prompted the centre to tighten up enforcement of the alcohol ban already in place in the shelter. The…
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Thieves steal VIP chairs from Liverpool – Man U match in Bangkok
Police have arrested a man under suspicion of stealing VIP chairs reserved for Liverpool and Manchester United players from Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on Saturday morning. CCTV footage reveals two nonchalant men wheeling four dugout chairs, valued at 400,000 baht, out of the stadium at 6am. Two of the chairs were used by Manchester United reserve players and two by…
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Amazing Dark Sky Thailand programme by TAT to boost stargazing
If you’re looking for the next big thing for Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand suggests looking up. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand has teamed up with the TAT to launch the new Amazing Dark Sky Thailand, which focuses on attracting those who appreciated staring up at the night sky. In a country whose main concern with celestial…
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Thai protesters run their own, informal no-confidence poll
Thailand’s anti-government protesters are gathering support again as the country’s restrictions allow them to gather in groups and protest against the Prayut government. Now they’re running their own mock no-confidence poll as a real no-confidence debate is about to start in the Thai parliament tomorrow. Yesterday, the Ratsadon (The People) group started collecting ‘votes’ for its own, informal no-confidence motion…
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Gunman shot dead by armed civilian after killing 3 in US mall
Four people were killed, and two were injured yesterday in yet another mass shooting in the US. A man with a rifle entered Greenwood Park Mall in Indiana at about 6pm last night, approached the precinct’s food court, and let rip with several rounds of ammunition. The gunman was eventually shot by an armed civilian who happened to be nearby.…
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Koh Pha Ngan springs back into gear with the July Full Moon Party
This holiday weekend hosted the largest Full Moon Party since February of 2019 before the pandemic, with the biggest crowd the beach and venues of Haad Rin on Koh Pha Ngan have seen since the party restarted tentatively in November 2021. Some estimated as many as 20,000 people flooded the island to take part in the festivities – the first…
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