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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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UPDATE: GT200 bomb detectors only good enough to be used as a ‘cat poop scoop’
UPDATE Royal Thai Army spokesperson, Santipong Thammapiya, yesterday announced that the investigation into GT200 bomb detectors has officially ended. Santipong says the NSTD had completed its examination of 320 devices, and the budget spent investigating it, and concluded that the Royal Thai Army would have to return around 3 million baht from the 7.5 million baht budget allocated to the…
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Englishman arrested in Pattaya on child pornography charges
A 45 year old Englishman was arrested yesterday in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri in connection with child pornography charges. The man, referred to as “William”, was previously caught by Scotland Yard Police in England on allegations of making, possessing, and spreading child pornographic material between 2008 and 2013 in the UK. But during the judicial procedure, he was…
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SRT Red Line is experiencing a spike in commuters
The State Railway of Thailand yesterday revealed passengers using the new SRT Red Line is on the up. As of last week, 14,000 people have been using the SRT Red Line on a daily basis. Back in November 2021, there were only around 2,000 to 3,000 commuters taking the train. But since the beginning of the year it jumped from…
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Tourism minister calls for an end to the Thailand Pass scheme
The queue to beat up on the much-hated Thailand Pass is growing longer by the day. Now Thailand’s Tourism Minister is joining in. Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakan, says he will use the next Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting to push PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to pull the plug on the Thailand Pass digital gateway. If the scheme is…
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Famed cabaret show sold out as tourists flock to Pattaya after 2 years of closure
“Life is a cabaret old chum”, so sang Liza Minnelli’s character in the musical Cabaret, and it was no different in Pattaya at the weekend. Every seat was sold out at the famous Alcazar theatre after it reopened on Friday night for the first time in 2 years. Following the official easing of restrictions on entertainment venues on June 1,…
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Bangkok’s first LGBTQ parade in over a decade
Bangkok yesterday held its first LGBTQ+ parade since 2006. Many members of the community flocked to the Naruemit Pride event, wearing outrageous rainbow-themed attire and waving rainbow flags down Silom Road. A collaboration of non-governmental organisations planned the first event in 16 years, which also received the blessing of the city’s freshly elected Governor, Chadchart Sittipunt. Several LGBTQ+ activists attended…
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Cannabis penalties to be quashed from Thursday
Thailand’s Courts of Justice announced that suspects and prisoners on charges related to cannabis use and possession would be freed after cannabis and hemp are removed from the Public Health Ministry’s Category 5 drug list. But as we slowly learn the details of cannabis in Thailand, post June 9, we are learning that it’s not all clear and plain sailing…
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Shots fired in high-speed chase as police seize drugs valued around 500 million baht
In a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, shots rang out in the city sky yesterday as police pursued drug dealers across Bangkok in a high-speed chase. After a lengthy high-speed chase from Saraburi province, through Ayutthaya, into Bangkok’s Min Buri area, the drug dealers abandoned their getaway vehicle, a modified ambulance, and made an escape while police seized over…
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Another tourism goal for Thailand – 3,000 Indian tourists a day
Thailand’s tourism authorities seem to announce a new goal every day. While the Tourism Authority of Thailand is aiming for Saudi and Australian tourists in Phuket, TAT has also announced a goal last week for Thailand as a whole: 3,000 Indian tourists a day. The TAT is aiming to meet its goal through various promotional campaigns and special travel incentives.…
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Check-in mayhem for Thai Airways flights last Friday
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has ordered airlines and airports to make urgent adjustments after acknowledging long queues for Thai Airways flights at Suvarnabhumi airport. The early morning flight check in delays at the Thai Airways counters in Suvarnabhumi Airport was caused by a lack of check-in staff at the Thai Airways counters, according to the Civil Aviation…
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Pattaya woman allegedly runs off with boyfriend’s belongings
A woman in Pattaya has allegedly run off with several of her boyfriend’s belongings, after he let her stay in his condo while he was in Germany. A 41 year old German national under the psyudonym ‘Peter’ told reporters he had returned to his condo in Pattaya after travel restrictions eased, planning to surprise his girlfriend ‘Fah’. He said he…
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Pub fight in South Thailand leaves 3 dead
Three men were killed in a pub fight in South Thailand’s Nakhon Si Thammarat province in the early hours of the morning yesterday. Another man was seriously injured in the fight, which occurred in the main city district. City police said 2 rival groups were gathered at the pub’s car park after visiting the pub, when the deadly exchange began.…
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Phuket governor reverses decision easing mask-wearing
Easy come, easy go. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew today reversed yesterday’s mask-wearing easing order, insisting people must wear a mask in all public places even if they are practicing social distancing measures. Only yesterday the governor relaxed all measures saying healthy people could to take off their face masks while in open-air places, beaches, public parks and stadiums, as part of…
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Budget bill boost to government
PM Prayut Chan o cha’s government received a boost today when Parliament passed the first reading of an almost 3.2 trillion baht draft budget bill for the 2023 fiscal year starting October 1. After a 3-day debate, the bill passed with 278 votes in favour, 194 against, and two abstentions. Pm Prayut says the bill will help the nation restore…
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Government under fire on military spending plans
The government yesterday was criticized over the Defence Ministry’s weapons procurement plans. Shots were fired by deputy Pheu Thai Party leader Yuttapong Charasathien who says a number of procurement projects lack transparency and spending is too high. Yuttapong criticized the navy’s request of almost 41 million baht for a number of weapons systems, but in particular its decision to buy…
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Decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand: Can I get high or not?
As “Ganja Day” approaches on June 9, Thailand’s Ministry of Health wants to be clear about one thing: Smoking cannabis recreationally in public is a criminal offence punishable by three months imprisonment and a fine of up to 25,000 baht. However, smoking cannabis in private is a different story. Cannabis smoke has been written into new legislation as a “public…
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Thai AirAsia X launches cheap flights between Bangkok and Seoul, South Korea
Thailand’s airline Thai AirAsia X has launched flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport in South Korea. The route will take place 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The first flight on the new route landed in Seoul yesterday, June 1. To celebrate the launch, the airline is offering return flights from Bangkok to…
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Thai police and organisations award people money for videos of traffic violators
As part of a road safety campaign, Royal Thai Police collaborated with several organisations and companies to award people with cash for video clips of traffic violations. During the “7 Dangerous Days” of Thailand’s Songkran holiday, when the number of road deaths usually spikes, drivers took dashboard videos of other drivers violating traffic laws. The winners earned prize money from…
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Foreign tourist breaks into bank, goes on rampage in northern Thailand
A foreign tourist broke into a Bangkok Bank branch in Pai in the northern province of Mae Hong Son yesterday evening. He smashed his way through several glass doors with rocks and proceeded to cause significant damage to the bank’s property. Police detained him and discovered he was illegally residing in the kingdom. A foreigner named Kent Douglas Meades –…
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Shooting in Oklahoma kills 4
After a school shooting in Texas rocked global headlines last week and destroyed the lives of the victim’s families in Uvalde, Texas, there’s been another shooting in the neighbouring state of Oklahoma in the US. The shooter shot and killed 4 people in a medical building on a hospital campus in Tulsa yesterday before shooting himself dead. Tulsa Police Department…
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After Middle East, Thailand’s TAT brings tourism road show to Europe
After the Tourism Authority of Thailand travelled to Saudi Arabia in a roadshow last month, the TAT has now brought its tourism campaign to Europe. From May 23-25, the TAT travelled to 3 European countries to promote its campaign “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters”. The campaign promotes medical tourism, beaches, and shopping in Thailand. In the European roadshow,…
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UPDATE: Woman falls from Phuket condo, 3 foreign suspects refuse to speak
UPDATE #2: Three foreign suspects refuse to speak about Russian woman who fell from Phuket condo The 3 foreigners who were drinking with Evegeniia on the night she fell from the 8th floor of a condominium in Phuket have so far refused to give any information to police about what happened. On the night of Evegeniia’s death, 3 foreigners were…
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Popular tourist island off Pattaya adds hundreds of security cameras
Officials on Koh Larn, a popular tourist island off Pattaya, are stepping up security measures. The municipality has installed 200 CCTV security cameras at 7 beaches around the island. Meanwhile, authorities are working on renovating a pier on Koh Larn. Pattaya Deputy Manager Kiattisak Sriwongchai said the installation is almost finished, and the cameras will be fully working early this…
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Woman accuses Thai politician of sending her unsolicited pictures of his genitals
A Thai woman accuses a famous political party spokesperson of sending her unsolicited photos of his genitals and threats via Facebook. The woman filed a police complaint, with evidence, at Sutthisan Police Station in Bangkok today. She accused the spokesperson of violating the Computer Crimes Act by disseminating obscene material online. The 40 year old victim said the man sent…
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5 million baht fine and 1 year jail sentence for those breaking new data laws
People who break the new data laws face a fine of up to 5 million baht and a 1 year jail sentence. The Royal Thai Police issued this warning ahead of the new Personal Data Protection Act which came into effect today. Under the new law, people can post pictures and video clips of themselves with others for personal purposes…
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As Thailand opens more, police prepare for more international crime
A senior Thai police inspector told Thai media that Royal Thai Police plans to redouble its efforts to fight international crime as the country opens up more and more with the ease in Covid-19 restrictions. The inspector, General Wisanu Prasatthongosot, told Daily News that Thailand is located at a crossroads in the region that makes it an ideal spot for international crimes…
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Thai industry gets high on government’s green hemp policy
The controversial plan to use hemp in the Thai textile industry is part of the government’s green policy. Business plans are already underway by the Commerce Ministry to promote hemp fibre in the Thai textile arena as it offers high potential in the global market. Hemp and cannabis were classified as drugs under Category 5 the Narcotics Act of Thailand,…
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Former Deputy Bangkok Governor says the city has already spent most of the 2022 budget
The Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party and former deputy Bangkok governor, Samart Ratchapolsitte (2004 – 2006), said Bangkok has only of 94 million baht left in its budget, and it might be insufficient for the new Bangkok governor Chandchart Sittiphun to achieve his announced policies. According to the media, Bangkok receives a budget of around 80 billion baht per…
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Phuket marine centre works to heal injured sea turtle
A marine centre in Phuket is working to nurse an injured sea turtle back to health. The turtle was spotted washed up by strong waves on the sands of Kata Beach earlier this week. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources arrived on the scene after a hotel staff alerted them of the struggling little snapper. The DMCR found the…
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Thailand’s tourism ranking drops down a notch
Thailand’s place on a list of countries ranked for travel and tourism development has fallen a notch below where it stood last year. Thailand fell from it’s spot in 35th place out of 117 countries in 2021, to 36th place, on the Travel and Tourism Development Index. The index is based on scores from 1-7, where 1 is the worst…
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