Hot News
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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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Police bust 4 drug runners with 150 million baht of meth
About 150 million baht worth of methamphetamine pills were impounded in Nakhon Phanom today in a bust of 4 suspected drug runners. Police and military cooperated to nab 4 men, aged 21 to 36 hailing from Mukdahan. Nakhon Phanom is a northeastern Thai province that borders Laos, separated by the Mekong River. A press conference was held this afternoon at…
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Confirmation of Deputy Minister Thammanat, despite drug conviction, draws derision
Though not unexpected, the decision on Tuesday to allow Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompow to keep his status in spite of an Australian drug conviction in the 1990s still drew plenty of outrage and backlash. In what some called Thailand’s lowest point, allowing the minister to keep his post may set a damning precedent regarding Thailand’s international obligations such as…
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Thailand plans to include 3 million foreigners in mass vaccination program
The Thai government says it is planning on including 3 million foreigners in its mass Covid-19 vaccination program in an effort to protect the entire population. Opas Kankawinpong, the head of the disease control department, has confirmed the news, saying that anyone can get the vaccine if they want it. “Anybody living in Thailand, whether they be Thai or foreign,…
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Activist Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul granted bail
Jailed student activist leader Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul has been granted bail of 200,000 baht today after repeated denials of bail requests over the last 2 months. Rung was detained on charges using Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws that carry a 15-year maximum sentence for insulting the royal monarchy and has been held without bail since March 8. She joined her…
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Thai Meteorological Dept. warns northern Thailand of severe storms through May 7
The Thailand Meteorological Department says severe storms, especially in the north, will be present through May 7. The announcement detailed the forecast with gusty winds and hail being included in the conditions due to a high pressure system from China. It also warned residents to stay away from big trees, unsecured buildings, large billboards, and outdoor places in general. Farmers…
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Covid-19 outbreak contributes to elephant population decline in Southern Thailand
The following was submitted by the Southern Thailand Elephant Foundation. There has been a significant decline in the elephant population of Southern Thailand as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Phang Nga Province, which normally has more domesticated elephants than any other Southern Thailand province, the elephant population has dropped by a third of its normal number. This fall…
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Chiang Mai on track to reopen 2 districts to foreign tourists in October
Chiang Mai is still on track to reopen to foreign tourists under the sandbox model this October. The so-called sandbox model would allow foreign tourists, who are vaccinated against Covid-19, to travel to designated areas in Thailand without undergoing quarantine. In Chiang Mai, tourists will be able to travel in the area with tour guides on designated routes. Phuket is…
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Diplomatic spat between China and Australia, Chinese suspend economic dialogue
A diplomatic spat between China and Australia has the Communist State suspending all economic dialogue “indefinitely” between the 2 countries as of today. A statement by China’s National Development and Reform Commission detailed some of the reasoning behind the move, which is under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue. “Recently, some Australian Commonwealth Government officials launched a series of measures to…
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GDP forecast dropped to 1-2% with best, middle and worst case scenarios
Mass vaccination will be the key stop the slump in economic growth after the Bank of Thailand revised their 2021 GDP forecast to between 1 – 2%. They had previously estimated a 3% growth in the gross domestic product but are now creating tiered predictions of a base level, worse situation, and a worst-case scenario, according to the Bank of…
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12 gamblers arrested in raid on restaurant in central Thailand
Police have arrested 12 people found eating, drinking, and gambling in a restaurant in the central province of Pathum Thani. Under disease prevention measures, there is currently a ban on in-restaurant dining in a number of provinces in Thailand. According to the Bangkok Post, the authorities raided the restaurant in the Lam Luk Ka district of Pathum Thani late last…
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Thai hotels call for extension to domestic travel stimulus packages
The Thai Hotels Association is urging the government to extend the domestic travel stimulus schemes, set to end on September 30. THA president, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, says the stimulus packages, “We Travel Together”, which subsidises flights and hotel accommodation, and the Tour Teaw Thai co-payment scheme, must be continued until the current Covid-19 crisis is under control. She points out…
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Everything you need to know about Covid vaccines in Thailand right now
Which Covid vaccines are available in Thailand? Thailand’s FDA has licensed 3 Covid-19 vaccines – AztraZeneca/Oxford University, Sinovac from China and Johnson Johnson. Only the AztraZenaca and Sinovac vaccines are currently delivered and available in Thailand at this time. Others will likely be approved for use in Thailand in the next few months, including the Pfizer/Moderna mRNA vaccine (paperwork submitted)…
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Owner of 2 unsupervised pit bulls warned by mayor
An unidentified owner of two pit bulls who reportedly allows them to wander freely near a public beach in the Bangsaen area of Pattaya has received a warning from Sane Suk Mayor Narongchai “Tui” Khunplome. making statements through his public relations accounts on social media and in local news outlets, the mayor stated that he had received multiple complaints from…
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Thammanat Prompow is cleared to continue serving as an MP and cabinet minister
Deputy Agriculture Minister, and Palang Pracharat ‘fixer’, Thammanat Prompow, has been cleared by a Thai court to continue to hold office in Thailand despite his previous heroin trafficking charges in Australia in 1993. The Court maintained that, as the case was tried in another country other than Thailand, his conviction has no bearing on his standing as a member of…
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Songwriter, actor and director Chalee Intaravijit dies at 98
Well-rounded, artistic Thai jack-of-all-trades Chalee Intaravijit has died at the age of 98 after a full and diverse life as a songwriter, film director, theatre actor and more. Last night the artist passed away at Sirijaj Hospital. Born on July 6 1923, his prolific career spanned more than 5 decades, and the National Cultural Commission named him a National Artist…
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CAAT sets restrictions and guidelines for air travel to prevent the spread of Covid-19
With the new wave of Covid-19 infections hitting record highs, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is tightening disease control measures for air travel and has requested that airlines abide by guidelines to help contain the outbreak. Those who test positive for Covid-19 are refrained from travelling and can face penalties for doing so under the Communicable Disease Act. CAAT…
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Desparate expats in Thailand turn to vaccine tourism
Travelling overseas just to get a prick used to have a much more negative connotation. But with limited supplies and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand, many expats are turning towards vaccine tourism, travelling to another country in order to secure a jab. With recent reports that Thai people will be prioritized and timelines vague for foreigners getting vaccinated, impatient…
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Police in Bangkok investigate rape cases involving Thai ‘pretties’
Refuting claims by Thai media that police let a serial rapist go free, officers in Bangkok say they are investigating and gathering evidence to arrest a 39 year old man who allegedly raped Thai models and hostesses known as “pretties.” Reports say the suspect met the women for “entertainment” purposes and then raped the women and robbed them. A 22…
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Thailand requires in-person registration for cryptocurrency
Thailand has launched new regulations for anybody opening a cryptocurrency account that requires physical registration and forbids online setup. The Anti-Money Laundering Office created this rule that goes into effect in September 2021 in an effort to reduce money laundering, a practice that plagues crypto. People registering a cryptocurrency account in Thailand will be required to scan their Thai ID…
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Koh Phi Phi national park closing for 13 days to control Covid-19
Thailand’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi national park is closing for 13 days from today because of the current Covid-19 situation Park chief, Prayoon Pongphan, told The Phuket News that the decision was made as Krabi province is seeing a rise in infections. “The number of infected cases in many areas, including Krabi, is increasing. From the disease investigation, it…
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Vaccines reserved for Thais, not expats – Public Health Ministry
Sorry, you’ll just have to wait. The Ministry of Public Health has muddied the waters further about foreigners or expats being able to access Covid vaccines in Thailand. Ministry spokesperson Rungrueng Kitphati has rolled back some of the comments that have already been made about the matter and the real world situation where some expats already registering for the next…
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6 of Thailand’s top tourist zones WILL start opening for quarantine-free travel in July – TAT
Full steam ahead. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s insists that the sandbox re-opening plans for 6 of Thailand’s most economically sensitive tourist magnets will start on July 1… July 2021. Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai will, according to the TAT, be open to foreign tourists who have received 2 doses of Covid-19 vaccine (or 1…
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Australian Embassy snubs Aussie expats but Australia donates 68 million baht for Thailand’s vaccine efforts
The Australian Embassy in Thailand has responded to requests by Australians living in the Land Of Smiles that there will be no assistance for expats or other Australian citizens to be vaccinated in Thailand. Given the snail-pace response of the Thai Government and the age of some of the expats retired in the Kingdom, it was an important request. But…
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Survey finds nearly half of Thai hotels can stay afloat for less than 3 months
A recent poll of the Thai hotel industry shows that 47% of those surveyed only have enough liquidity to sustain less than 3 months of business. The Bank of Thailand has published its confidence index of hotel business operators for April 2021 and the findings make for grim reading. According to a Nation Thailand report, a total of 188 hotels…
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Global chip shortage: automakers to sex toys now feeling the pinch
A global chip shortage has affected almost every kind of business from automakers to sex toy makers. The shortage came about late last year when automakers thought demand would dwindle due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But, they were wrong. And, other manufacturers took note of the automakers’ large semiconductor orders and decided to ramp up their own. Home appliances, servers,…
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Thai authorities set up centre to investigate fake news surrounding Covid-19
Thai authorities are setting up a centre to investigate fake news surrounding Covid-19. The Department of Special Investigation says such misguidances could hamper the government’s efforts in containing the current pandemic. The task force to combat so-called “false information” started last Saturday and is headed by deputy director-general Supat Thamthanarak. The move falls in line with Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin’s…
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Thai government mulling more relief packages in light of Covid-19 third wave
Thailand’s government is mulling more relief packages to help counteract the country’s third wave of Covid-19. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has told all economic agencies to fast-track their assessments of how the third wave has impacted the economy, a requirement that must be completed before new relief packages can be detailed. Once the packages have been created, the Centre for Covid-19…
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Protesters rally at Criminal Court after detainees’ bail request denied again
Angry supporters of the pro-democracy movement gathered outside Bangkok’s Criminal Court yesterday, after bail requests for detained activists were rejected for the ninth time. Those who had their bail applications refused include Parit Chiwarak, aka, “Penguin”, who has been transferred to Ramathibodi Hospital due to his weakened condition. Parit has been on hunger strike for nearly 50 days. The Bangkok…
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Unidentified metal sphere underwater near Phuket is not a bomb
While the strange object 6 metres underwater off the Phuket island of Koh Aeo is as yet unidentified, officials have determined that it is definitely not a bomb. Much to local relief of the local fishermen who spotted the object and reported it Friday, Thai navy officials determined the object was harmless. The spherical metal object was found underwater about…
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Social distancing violation busts Pattaya illegal loan scheme
Covid-19 safety violations brought down a Chinese man and 39 Thai employees running an illegal loan operation in Pattaya. The group was arrested for offering money lending services after violating the Chon Buri Disease Control orders and emergency decree restrictions of social distancing and large gatherings. Chon Buri police raided the office building in Nongprue on Pattaya Second Road and…
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