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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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    Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand

    Moving to Thailand offers a prospect full of excitement and adventure, but in the same vein, if any injuries were to occur (and god forbid it does), the local healthcare system can be confusing at first glance for many expats...

  • FTI wants Test & Go dropped, all entry restrictions lifted for vaccinated arrivals | Thaiger

    FTI wants Test & Go dropped, all entry restrictions lifted for vaccinated arrivals

    The Federation of Thai Industries is urging the government to ditch the Test & Go scheme and to lift all entry restrictions for vaccinated tourists. According to a Bangkok Post report, the industry body is calling for an end to quarantine and PCR testing in a bid to restore the country’s shattered tourism sector. Chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree says he will…

  • Thailand committee meeting with North Korean diplomats draws criticism | Thaiger

    Thailand committee meeting with North Korean diplomats draws criticism

    A meeting between Thailand’s committee on computer coding and North Korean ambassadors yesterday drew criticism from Thais. The vice president of the committee made a post about the meeting on her Facebook page, saying the committee met with the diplomats at the Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Bangkok to discuss working together on coding projects. The…

  • Thailand’s power will be more expensive in May | Thaiger

    Thailand’s power will be more expensive in May

    From May until August, Thailand’s electricity price will rise to four baht per kilowatt hour, going up by 0.23-1.3 baht per unit. The country’s Energy Regulatory Commission is raising fuel tariffs following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. An ERC spokesman said another reason for the price surge is the declining supply of natural gas from the Gulf of Thailand. Russia’s…

  • Club Med Phuket reopens after over 2 years | Thaiger

    Club Med Phuket reopens after over 2 years

    After closing its doors for over two years since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, Club Med Phuket is now back in business. The resort reopened yesterday following efforts to clean up the area and bring back tourists. The island province’s Vice Governor Pichet, who attended the reopening, said the reopening should help Phuket’s disheveled tourism economy. “Club Med is known around…

  • Man accidentally kills wife with backhoe at railway construction site | Thaiger

    Man accidentally kills wife with backhoe at railway construction site

    A man accidentally killed his wife when he ran over her with a backhoe in a tragic incident at a railway construction site in Ratchaburi in central Thailand on Monday, according to a report in Thai media. 45 year old Kaikaew Thongkham worked as a team with his 40 year old wife Amphon Pima at the double-railway construction site. Kaikaew…

  • Iran frees captives held for 5, 6 years | Thaiger

    Iran frees captives held for 5, 6 years

    Today, Iranian authorities freed two British-Iranian nationals imprisoned in the country for five and six years. One captive, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, was arrested in 2016. The other captive, Anoosheh Ashoori, was arrested in 2017. Nazanin was a project manager for Thompson Reuters Foundation when she was arrested, and Anoosheh was a businessman. Iranian authorities accused Nazanin of trying to “overthrow” the…

  • Bangkok governor may quit next week as he prepares to seek a second term | Thaiger

    Bangkok governor may quit next week as he prepares to seek a second term

    The governor of Bangkok may soon step down as he prepares to run for a second term. According to a Bangkok Post source, Aswin Kwanmuang is likely to resign as early as next week as his team work on his re-election campaign. It’s understood Aswin and his advisers met earlier this week to complete the incumbent’s registration. Bangkok residents go…

  • 1,000 Thais register to apply for jobs in Saudi Arabia | Thaiger

    1,000 Thais register to apply for jobs in Saudi Arabia

    Thai and Saudi officials say labour relations between their countries are strengthening following renewed relations. Thailand’s labour minister said over 1,000 people have registered online with the Department of Employment to apply for jobs in Saudi Arabia. He claimed the final remaining step is signing a bilateral labour agreement, which is expected to occur soon. The agreement will allow Thailand…

  • Thailand’s Health Ministry to propose scrapping pre-departure PCR for Test & Go | Thaiger

    Thailand’s Health Ministry to propose scrapping pre-departure PCR for Test & Go

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is set to make a proposal to scrap the pre-departure PCR for Test & Go travellers, making entering the country more convenient and cost-efficient. The proposal will need to be approved by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, which will have its general meeting this Friday and is expected to discuss a number of topics, including…

  • All Betong airport flights cancelled just 24 hours after airport opening | Thaiger

    All Betong airport flights cancelled just 24 hours after airport opening

    Less than 24 hours after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha arrived on the first flight into Betong International Airport to chair the opening ceremony, all scheduled flights in and out of the airport have been suspended. At present, it is not possible to book flights in or out of Betong and it is not yet known when flights will resume. The Tourism…

  • Phuket police on the hunt for alleged shoplifting foreigner | Thaiger

    Phuket police on the hunt for alleged shoplifting foreigner

    A foreign man reportedly stole snacks from a Phuket shop on two separate occasions. The shopkeeper alleges the foreigner first stole snacks back in January, after he came to the store with a Thai woman. The woman paid for her items, while the man allegedly stole 228 baht worth of snacks. The man reported the alleged theft to Phuket City…

  • Bar raided in Bangkok’s Nana, woman arrested for alleged child sex trafficking | Thaiger

    Bar raided in Bangkok’s Nana, woman arrested for alleged child sex trafficking

    Police raided a bar in Bangkok’s Nana area and found that at least three teenage girls were offering sexual services. Two are 15 years old, another is 14. A woman at the bar was arrested on child sex trafficking charges. Officers raided 789 Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 7 in the Nana area, a redlight district is known for its go-go…

  • North Korea fails to launch suspected ballistic missile | Thaiger

    North Korea fails to launch suspected ballistic missile

    North Korea fired an “unknown projectile” yesterday, which reportedly appeared to fail immediately after it was launched. The United States’ military’s Indo-Pacific Command claimed it was part of a ballistic missile launch. The command did not mention the reported failure, but condemned the launch. It urged North Korea to refrain from further “destabilising” actions. South Korean media reported that disbris…

  • 7 students at Thailand university face charges for allegedly beating a student to death | Thaiger

    7 students at Thailand university face charges for allegedly beating a student to death

    Since 19 year old student Padyos “Prem” Chonpakdi was beaten to death, allegedly by university students in a violent initiation ceremony on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, seven upper-level students have confessed to using excessive violence against Prem which lead to his death. Prem was forced to undress, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, sing and was punched in the stomach and…

  • Thailand football player could face lifetime ban for elbow strike to opponent | Thaiger

    Thailand football player could face lifetime ban for elbow strike to opponent

    A Bangkok Football Club player who struck his opponent with a Muay Thai-style elbow strike to the face could receive a lifetime ban. Aitsaret Noichaiboon slammed his elbow into the player’s face, fracturing his cheekbone. He received 24 stitches on his upper lip and doctors say he also suffered a blood clot in his nose. The football club terminated Aitsaret’s…

  • Officers find suspected hideout for alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list | Thaiger

    Officers find suspected hideout for alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list

    Officers found a camp at a mountain in the southern province Songkhla where they suspect an alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list was hiding. The 45 year old who is wanted on multiple charges involving murder allegedly shot an M16 rifle during a police chase, killing an officer. Following the gunfire exchange, the alleged hitman Chamrat “Chui Chaochan” Rakchan,…

  • Thailand marine officials look into building cruise ship terminal on Koh Samui | Thaiger

    Thailand marine officials look into building cruise ship terminal on Koh Samui

    Marine officials in Thailand are looking into building a cruise ship terminal on Koh Samui, a popular Gulf of Thailand island off the Surat Thani coast. A terminal is considered to be more convenient and safe for travellers as, at the moment, cruise ships must anchor by the island and smaller boats transfer travellers to the island and back to…

  • Police continue search for forest ranger in Isaan Thailand who allegedly killed ex-wife’s son | Thaiger

    Police continue search for forest ranger in Isaan Thailand who allegedly killed ex-wife’s son

    Officers in the Isaan province Buriram are still searching for the senior forest ranger who allegedly shot and killed his ex-wife’s son Sunday night. The victim’s family says the ranger called them after the shooting, saying he threatened to murder the entire family. He is believed to be hiding in a forest near the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary. The 45 year…

  • Province in Western Thailand works to revive tourism in new scheme | Thaiger

    Province in Western Thailand works to revive tourism in new scheme

    The governor of one Western Thai province whose tourism income plummeted this year announced yesterday the need for a “comprehensive strategy” to revive tourism. The province of Prachuap Khiri Khan made 1.85 billion baht in tourism in 2020, but that dropped to 36 million baht in 2021. “We expect travel activities to pick up once Covid-19 is classified as an…

  • PM refuses to discuss possibility of early elections or confirm he will complete term | Thaiger

    PM refuses to discuss possibility of early elections or confirm he will complete term

    The Thai PM has refused to rule out the possibility of House dissolution and an early end to his tenure, in a change to his usual stance. Prayut Chan-o-cha has always reiterated his plan to remain in office until the end of his term next March and possibly beyond, ruling out any chance of early elections. However, while responding to…

  • 25 kilograms of ketamine in tea bags wash up on eastern Thailand beach | Thaiger

    25 kilograms of ketamine in tea bags wash up on eastern Thailand beach

    A package containing more than 25 kilograms of ketamine washed up on a beach in Trat province on Thailand’s eastern coast yesterday. A 65 year old woman was out collecting rubbish on the beach when she found what appeared to be 25 bags of Chinese tea tied together washed up on the shore. Upon closer inspection, the bags were filled…

  • Illegal burning in Northern Thailand contributes harmful levels of air pollutant PM2.5 | Thaiger

    Illegal burning in Northern Thailand contributes harmful levels of air pollutant PM2.5

    Illegal burning in more than 135 areas in the northern province Mae Hong Son has contributed to the rise of the air pollutant PM2.5 to levels considered to be harmful to human health. Authorities are also concerned that the poor air quality could also worsen the condition of Covid-19 patients in the area. Today, the air quality in Mae Hong…

  • Phuket tourism official reports low number of calls to Russian, Ukrainian helpline | Thaiger

    Phuket tourism official reports low number of calls to Russian, Ukrainian helpline

    An official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Phuket office says most Russian and Ukrainian tourists on the southern island appear to be “coping”. Nanthasiri Ronasiri says there have not been that many calls to a hotline set up specifically to help tourists stranded by cancelled flights or facing financial problems as a result of sanctions on Russia. Russia’s invasion…

  • Food delivery riders arrested for allegedly transporting ketamine, methamphetamine | Thaiger

    Food delivery riders arrested for allegedly transporting ketamine, methamphetamine

    Two food delivery drivers were arrested in Bangkok for allegedly transporting ketamine and methamphetamine to customers. The suspects allegedly confessed to trafficking the drugs for two years. Prior to the arrest, officers from the Children and Woman Protection Sub-Division arrested nine people, allegedly while they were getting high off benzodiazepines. Officers seized over 420 pills of the benzodiazepine Flunitrazepam. During…

  • Tangmo: Police examine ‘fresh evidence’ — CCTV video of person on speedboat | Thaiger

    Tangmo: Police examine ‘fresh evidence’ — CCTV video of person on speedboat

    Police are examining “fresh evidence” from a CCTV camera that recorded footage of the speedboat TV actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong fell from before drowning in the Chao Phraya River last month. The video taken from a riverside building reportedly shows a person at the stern (rear) of the speedboat standing up and sitting down, as the boats moves along the…

  • UPDATE: Bus driver in fatal accident tests positive for methamphetamine | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Bus driver in fatal accident tests positive for methamphetamine

    The bus driver in the fatal accident where eight passengers died was reportedly high on methamphetamine, also known as “ya ba” meaning “crazy drug.” Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle shows the double-decker bus crashing into a concrete supporting pillar of an overhead bridge, ripping the right side of the bus. More than 20 people were injured. Drug tests for…

  • Health Ministry says to keep traditional Songkran activities dry | Thaiger

    Health Ministry says to keep traditional Songkran activities dry

    Thai officials have yet to set regulations on the massive water celebrations for Songkran, the Thai New Year, but the Public Health Ministry is recommending dry activities for the traditional ceremonies. To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the ministry is advising that Thais avoid the traditional act known as “rod nam dam hua,” where water is poured on the hands…

  • 8 passengers killed, 20 injured after bus headed to Bangkok crashes into bridge pillar | Thaiger

    8 passengers killed, 20 injured after bus headed to Bangkok crashes into bridge pillar

    Eight bus passengers were killed and more than 20 injured after a double-decker bus crashed into the concrete pillar for the overhead bridge. A total of 32 passengers were on the Bangkok – Suwannaphum bus operated by the state-run Transport Company. Five people died immediately at the scene and three later died at the hospital. 22 people, including the driver,…

  • Pattaya opens hotline to support stranded Ukrainian and Russian tourists | Thaiger

    Pattaya opens hotline to support stranded Ukrainian and Russian tourists

    The Pattaya Tourist Police have launched a hotline to help Ukrainians and Russians facing financial issues or cancelled flights due to the conflict in Ukraine. Tourists and expats in Pattaya can call the hotline number at 1155 or use the application Tourist Police i lert u. Thousands of Russian tourists are stranded in Thailand due to flight cancellations and sanctions…

  • Thousands of Russians stranded in Thailand due to flight cancellations, sanctions | Thaiger

    Thousands of Russians stranded in Thailand due to flight cancellations, sanctions

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand says thousands of Russian holidaymakers are stranded in the kingdom as flight cancellations and sanctions over the war on Ukraine hit hard. According to Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya from the TAT, there are currently 3,100 Russian tourists stranded on Phuket, over 2,000 on Koh Samui, as well as Russian holidaymakers in Krabi, Phang Nga, and…