Thailand News
Discover the most recent and relevant news from across Thailand on The Thaiger’s National News page. Covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, crime, and lifestyle, our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
Stay informed about the latest developments in Thai society, economy, and culture, as well as updates on travel, tourism, and expat life. With The Thaiger, you’ll never miss out on the essential news that matters to you.
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Sponsored Working in Thailand: How expat health insurance protects your career and lifestyle
Starting a career in Thailand can be an exciting chapter, but it also brings unique challenges, especially when it comes to health and wellness. For expats, navigating Thailand’s healthcare system and meeting work permit requirements can be difficult. And while...
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French Thai kickboxer makes a dick of himself
French Muay Thai Kickboxer, Jimmy Vienot, unintentionally made a bit of an idiot of himself after his recent triumph over Petchmorakot Petchyindee at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. The Frenchman, who defeated Petchmorakot on May 20, wanted, มวยไทย, meaning Muay Thai, inked on his arm, but the result came back not just wrong, but terribly wrong. Instead, a communication…
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Policeman attacked as former Sgt major causes mayhem at a Pattaya housing project
A Pattaya policeman was seriously injured after a former senior sergeant major went on a violent rampage. Jetsadabhon Reungrit was arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital for treatment after a number of anti-social incidents at a Na Jomtien housing government project, in Chon Buri. Residents alerted security guards to a scene after Jetsadabhon began hammering on residents’ doors and…
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What makes Supalai Icon Sathorn the ideal property choice
Sponsored Article Looking for your ideal high-class luxury property in Bangkok? If yes then we’d like to introduce you to Supalai Icon Sathorn, a high-rise luxury condominium located in the heart of Bangkok. This property was awarded the winner of the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2020-2021 prize for mixed-use development in Thailand. The development consists of both commercial buildings as…
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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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Sexy makeover of Thai wealth goddess ‘Nang Kwak’ goes viral
A tattoo artist’s controversial sexy makeover of a Thai goddess on his Facebook page has gone viral. Tattoo artist Ajarn Joe changed the traditional costume on a Thai wealth goddess, ‘Nang Kwak,’ to a sexy dress and it lit the blue touch paper on social media. The response to the post has been mixed, with some passionately defending the makeover…
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Underwater utopia being created out of decommissioned oil rigs
An Aquaman-type underwater utopia is being developed near Koh Pha Ngan island in Surat Thani province, out of redundant oil and gas rigs. Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environment department revealed plans are well underway to utilise decommissioned oil rigs to develop a new diving destination for tourists located around 7.5 nautical miles north east of Koh Pha Ngan island. The…
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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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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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BKK Governor to Discuss Easing of Mask Requirements | Weekend Update
Today is Bangkok’s pride parade, Cabaret shows in Pattaya are back, All suspected monkey pox cases in Thailand test negative, Phuket officials on their toes as night life re-opens and the governor of Phuket asks people to remark. All this and more on todays weekend update.
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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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“Cases could reach 10,000 a day again”. Thai Public Health Minister.
Thailand’s party-pooper-in-chief, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has made another spurious claim to Thailand’s media. He’s predicted that Thailand’s Covid infections could soar to 10,000, a day, now that Thailand’s nightlife has ‘officially’ reopened. He said that the numbers of new coronavirus cases could “soar” within 3-5 days after the country’s entertainment venues were given the official nod on June…
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Who will be Thailand’s PM by the end of 2022?
There are clear and present challenges ahead for the current Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. His hands on the levers controlling the hearts and minds of Thais, and south east Asia’s second largest economy, is in peril. The next general election in Thailand has to be called before March next year. It’s the prerogative of the sitting PM to call…
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An Introduction to Buddhism and Meditation in Thailand for Foreigners
Have you ever wanted to visit a temple in Thailand and learn more about Thai buddhism and meditation in English? No matter who you are or what you have been through, iMONASTRY teaches you about the benefits of meditation and provides you with an opportunity to be ordained as a monk, with a possibility of an ongoing visa. …
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Illegal Burmese immigrants arrested in connection with local man’s death
Police arrested more than 100 illegal immigrants yesterday as they ramped up an investigation into the murder of local man Maddol Binson. The 40 year old, from Hat Yai district in Songkla, was found in a freshly dug shallow grave in a forest beside a golf course near his home on Wednesday morning. His hands were tied behind his back,…
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Ancient gold Buddha artifact comes home
Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome hailed the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security after a 500 years’ old antique gold crown was returned to Thailand from the US. The 48 year old minister revealed the department was set up by the government around five years ago to track artefacts, which have been smuggled out of the kingdom, and thanked the…
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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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Student association at Mahidol University decides to end “sexist” beauty pageant
The Mahidol University Student Association has decided to put an end to an in-house beauty pageant that judges contestants solely on their looks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the human rights activist Wasan Paileeklee supports the decision, saying students can now focus on organising competitions that reward intellectual ability, provided these meet with public approval. “The beauty contests may…
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Is Thailand famous for coffee and is Thai coffee good?
PRESS RELEASE Thailand now ranks in the top 15 coffee exporters of coffee in the world. Thai coffee was never really known, but in recent years, international recognition for Thai coffee has rapidly increased. And this time, Thailand isn’t just known for Robusta coffee beans but also Arábica coffee beans. To date, Thailand still exports very little coffee as most…
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Outdoor mask rules eased in Phuket, new Bangkok governor says capital may follow
UPDATE: Since this story was published, the Phuket Governor has cancelled orders to reduce the mask wearing requirements in Phuket. Read about that HERE. ORIGINAL STORY: Phuket has eased some of its mask-wearing requirements for people not at risk of serious illness as a result of Covid-19. People no longer need to wear face masks while outdoors in open-air spaces,…
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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 authorities say 12 people who were in contact with monkeypox are low-risk
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control says 12 people who came into contact with a confirmed monkeypox patient earlier this week are low-risk, since they don’t have symptoms. A passenger with monkeypox was in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport for 2 hours before he caught a flight to Australia, where he was confirmed to have the virus. The DDC said today that there…
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Energy crisis will continue for 2 years says Bangkok Bank VP
The Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to be a political football as energy prices rise throughout the world. Russia is the world’s second highest exporter of crude oil after Saudi Arabia and accounts for around 10% of global petroleum production. International Energy Agency figures for December 2021 reveal the former Soviet state’s oil exports were 7.8 million barrels a day. But since…
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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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MP calls House sub-committees ‘dens of money extortion’
A Democrat MP yesterday pointed the finger at closed-door meetings of House sub-committees and called them “dens of money extortion.” Rangsima Rodrasamee, Democrat MP for Samut Songkhram, insists all meetings of sub-committees vetting the 2023 budget bill, after it passes its first reading, should be televised live. The Democrat MP says broadcasting the meetings live would scrutinise how the bill…
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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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Government asked to postpone PDPA law
The government has been asked to postpone the Personal Data Protection Act because some of the laws remain unclear. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking yesterday asked the government to delay the bill as some of the PDPA laws remain vague and need to be clarified. They also insist clear directions must be issued and 20 organic…
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Thai government shuts down Mor Chana contact-tracing app
The Mor Chana contact-tracing app is no more, with the Public Health Ministry confirming it has been shut down. Officials say the app is no longer required and therefore was closed yesterday, in light of Thailand’s improving Covid-19 situation. Unlike the Mor Prom app, which was created to record an individual’s vaccination status, track vaccine side-effects, and provide data on…
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Thai health ministry says downgrading Covid-19 will take some time
Thailand’s health ministry says the government needs more time before downgrading Covid-19 to a communicable disease requiring close surveillance. In February 2020, the virus was classified as a dangerous communicable disease, in order to enable the Thai authorities to react swiftly to contain the spread. Now, with the situation beginning to ease nationally and globally, officials are working towards downgrading…
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