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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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Thailand News Today | ‘Digital Nomad’ visa, ‘Property’ visa, Huge drug bust | Dec 16
BOI proposes new smart visa rules to lure foreign talent, digital nomads The Board of Investment in Thailand is asking the Cabinet to approve new smart visa rules designed to attract more overseas talent to work in Thailand. The aim is to allow digital freelancers currently working in Thailand to exchange their tourist visas for smart visas. To be eligible,…
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Monk arrested for firing gun at Chon Buri temple
A monk was arrested for allegedly firing a gun at a temple in Chon Buri’s Ban Bueng district after a drunk and heated argument between the other monks. The monk, 42 year old Kritsana Yoosi, actually hasn’t been a monk for very long. Just about 2 months… and only because he told his family that if he wins the lottery…
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Hundreds of tourism operators face fraud charges for allegedly cheating subsidy scheme
Hundreds of tourism operators face fraud charges for allegedly cheating the government’s “We Travel Together” subsidy scheme which was intended to help tourism businesses financially hit by the coronavirus pandemic and stimulate travel. Instead of lowering prices to draw in more travellers, some hoteliers and restaurateurs allegedly raised their prices to get more subsidies. The scheme paid 40% of room…
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Thai Protesters Vs Thai Government, the latest situation
OPINION In 1932, the old Siam Kingdom went through a fundamental change when, on June 24 the King, Rama 7, woke up to find his powers as an absolute monarch stripped from him by a new democracy movement. A new constitution would limit the King’s powers, under a constitutional monarchy. In 1933 there was a military coup, the first of…
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Cannabis no longer a Category 5 narcotic… except for the buds
Cannabis plants and extracts are no longer classified as a Category 5 narcotic in Thailand’s Narcotics Act. Don’t spark up a joint just yet… cannabis buds containing high amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which causes the euphoric effects, are still illegal. The leaves, stems, stalks and roots of cannabis as well as hemp have been removed from the narcotics list.…
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Protest leader Parit distances himself from Free Youth’s justification of communism
Pro-democracy protest leader Parit Chiwarak, aka “Penguin”, has sought to distance himself from the Free Youth group, following the movement’s defence of republicanism and communism. Thai PBS World reports that Parit’s move comes after a statement by the group, declaring that communism does not mean dictatorship. The statement, which appeared on a banner posted online by Free Youth, came shortly…
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3 Chinese nationals arrested in Bangkok over banking app fraud
Immigration Police have arrested 3 Chinese nationals accused of a phishing scam involving the Siam Commercial Bank mobile app. The men all entered Thailand illegally and are accused of defrauding SCB customers by conning them into providing their personal data and passwords. Sompong Chingduang, chief of the Immigration Police, says Yong Hua and Yue Dian were arrested at a property…
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Recover from Covid-19, then go to jail: Illegal returnees could face charges
After they recover from Covid-19, at least 3 Thai women who crossed the border illegally from Myanmar’s Tachileik will face criminal charges, according to Provincial police Region 5 commissioner Prachuap Wongsuk. If found guilty, the returnees could go to jail. The Thai women worked at entertainment venues at the border town, many at the now-infamous 1G1-7 Hotel, a so-called “Covid-19…
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PM orders government agencies to get tough on air pollution
As the air quality in Bangkok and surrounding provinces continues to deteriorate, the PM is ordering all relevant agencies to get tough on combatting the problem. Yesterday, Bangkok recorded the highest level of PM2.5 matter in the Din Daeng district of the capital, at 118mcg/cm. The level considered safe in Thailand is 50 mcg/cm, which is still higher than most…
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Police say they found a gram of ketamine in failed drug bust
After a failed drug bust, mistaking around 12 tonnes of the cleaning agent and food additive trisodium phosphate for the drug ketamine, police are now saying that they did find a little ketamine. Just 1.2 grams. In November, police announced “Thailand’s largest ketamine drug bust,” saying they busted a major multinational drug network and seized $1 billion USD worth of…
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Chiang Mai man arrested for allegedly stealing women’s underwear
A 25 year old man in Chiang Mai was arrested for allegedly stealing women’s underwear. Apparently, the man, identified as Fang, has been stealing the women’s bras and panties for the past 2 years, police say. Police opened an investigation after a 29 year old woman staying at a Chiang Mai hotel reported that her suitcase was stolen. Officers reviewed…
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Ministry investigating multiple cases of corruption in government’s co-payment scheme
The government’s “Let’s Go Halves” (Khon La Khrueng) co-payment stimulus campaign has fallen foul of 100s of incidents of fraud, according to the Finance Ministry. Under the scheme, the government subsidises 50% of the cost of food, drink, and other products, up to a maximum of 150 baht per person per day, capped at 3,000 baht per person for the…
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Covid-19 cases could lead to a drop in revenue for New Years, economist says
A rise in local Covid-19 infections could discourage many people from travelling and going out for New Years celebrations, costing Thailand’s tourism industry 14 billion baht to more than 16 billion baht, according to economist Anusorn Tamajai. Recently, 17 Thais tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from the Myanmar border town Tachileik, crossing the border illegally and dodging the mandatory…
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Holiday weekend road death toll: 67
67 people were killed in road accidents during the long holiday weekend while another 388 people were injured, according to the Transport Ministry. Most of the fatalities were motorcycle riders. Thursday and Friday were public holidays for Constitution Day and Father’s Day which commemorates King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday. Many people were off work and travelled. The ministry estimates more than…
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Cheaper flights to Phuket a possibility to help revive the tourism industry
Some say cheaper flights to Phuket will entice people to visit the island and get the once booming tourist destination back on its feet. Along with talk of lowering the price of tickets, those at a stakeholder meeting at the Thai Airways International headquarters in Bangkok say more direct international flights to the island also need to be reinstated. The…
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The smog returns to Bangkok
The air pollutant PM2.5 is at unhealthy levels in and around Bangkok. 34 areas in the city and in surrounding provinces have levels of PM2.5 exceeding the safety standard, according to an air quality report by the Department of Pollution Control. The air pollutant PM2.5 is fine particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. At high levels, the pollutant…
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Geminids meteor shower visible tonight from 8pm
Tonight you may want to step outside from 8pm onwards as one of the most abundant meteor showers will grace the sky. The Geminids can be viewed nationwide tonight starting at 8 and will last until the early hours of tomorrow. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand says about 120 bright meteor showers per hour will be visible with…
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Majority says school uniforms should remain mandatory – NIDA Poll
According to a new poll, a majority of Thai people think the student uniforms should remain mandatory in Thai schools, while others say casual outfits should also be allowed some days of the week. The latter opinion, which was part of the recently conducted National Institute of Development Administration Poll, was reportedly due to keeping the peace and easing tensions…
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PM Prayut set to ride Bangkok’s first driverless skytrain
Thailand’s PM Prayut is set to ride Bangkok’s first driverless Skytrain as he will preside over the opening ceremony of the Green Line extension and the Gold Line monorail on Wednesday, December 16. The Skytrain extension will travel from Mo Chit station through Saphan Mai station and ends at Khu Kot. The Gold Line monorail, which features the driverless train,…
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New commemorative bank notes spark worries of a mix-up
100 baht bank notes commemorating the Royal Coronation Ceremony of 2019, have reportedly raised concerns of people mistaking them for the usual 1,000 baht bank notes, due to their similar colours. The new bank notes, sport a slightly more gold hue, instead of the regular red/brown colour used for 100 baht notes, and feature a vertical orientation. The notes, issued…
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Pro-democracy activists to beef up security with professionally trained personnel
Protest leader Parit Chiwarak, aka, “Penguin”, says activists will no longer rely on volunteer security officers, but will instead bring in trained professionals. The Bangkok Post reports that Parit took to Facebook to announce that the People’s Movement has disbanded its team of volunteer security guards. He says the group will now seek professionally trained personnel, to ensure their safety…
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Senators, MPs, voice support for Thailand’s lèse majesté law
Politicians have come out in support of the Kingdom’s lèse majesté law, amid calls from pro-democracy activists to have it abolished. The law, officially Section 112 of the Criminal Code, prohibits criticising, defaming, or insulting the Thai Monarchy. At least 12 political activists have recently been charged with lèse majesté offences for their role in various anti-government rallies. On Thursday,…
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Air pollutant PM2.5 rises to unhealthy levels in Bangkok
Start wearing a N95 face mask when walking in Bangkok, the air pollutant PM2.5 is at unhealthy levels. 34 areas in the city and in surrounding provinces have levels of PM2.5 exceeding the safety standard, according to an air quality report by the Department of Pollution Control. The air pollutant PM2.5 is fine particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in…
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2 motorbike riders killed in Bangkok after woman allegedly falls asleep behind the wheel
A Bangkok woman allegedly fell asleep while driving near Benjakitti Park toward Asok and crashed into multiple vehicles, killing 2 motorbike riders and injuring 2 other people. Thong Lor police reviewed the woman’s dash camera footage from her Toyota Yaris and say the car hit a Honda Mio, then a Honda PCX and then another bike. Photos from the accident…
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Man arrested after police find 8 crocodiles in a Pathum Thani apartment
After getting a call about a man screaming and acting out at an apartment in Pathum Thani, a province just outside Bangkok, police entered the room and found 8 small crocodiles. The man had moved to the apartment just a month ago and trashed the place. Messages in Thai were written all over the walls. It also appeared that the…
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds to US Senators’ support for pro-democracy movement
After a number of US senators introduced a resolution in support of Thailand’s pro-democracy movement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hit back, accusing them of not understanding the situation. In its statement, the MFA says Thailand has always respected the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. It goes on to claim the US resolution, introduced by Thai-American…
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Thai Airways delays resumption of domestic flights due to local Covid-19 cases
Thai Airways flights to Phuket and Chiang Mai were supposed to start back up on Christmas day, but the recent Covid-19 local transmissions have led the airline to push the relaunch date back. Now the flights from Bangkok will take off on January 1, but if the virus continues to spread, the airline might decide to delay the flights indefinitely.…
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7 Yala police officers sentenced for bribery, sale of confiscated methamphetamines
7 police officers in the southern province of Yala have been sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment and fined 800,000 baht, for bribing a drug dealer and selling confiscated drugs to youths in the area. Yala provincial court sentenced the officers on Wednesday. They have been named in Thai media reports as, Jirasak Nooplod, Sitthapak Chandaeng, Siroj Jaikaewthi, Amphol Ngu-tul, Narongdet…
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Renowned social activist says PM should learn from Black May aftermath and resign
A leading academic and social critic says PM Prayut Chan-o-cha should take a leaf out former PM Suchinda Kraprayoon’s book and resign. Sulak Sivaraksa was referring to the aftermath of the bloody Black May crackdown on protesters, which led to Suchinda’s resignation. Sulak was speaking at a ceremony in Santiporn Park in Bangkok, where a monument to those who died…
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Today is Constitution Day in Thailand. What does the day commemorate?
Today is Constitution Day in Thailand, bang in the middle of calls for a rewrite of the document and demands for the role of the Thai monarch to be codified in a new Thai Constitution. The day commemorates 20 different Thai Charters that have been scrapped and re-written since the Siamese Revolution in 1932. It’s a public holiday around Thailand.…
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