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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Hungarian wanted overseas arrested in Bangkok, overstayed visa by 10 years
Thai Immigration police arrested a 48 year old Hungarian suspect who is wanted in his home country for alleged insurance fraud and has been staying in Thailand illegally for more than 10 years. Immigration police say the man is on 4,254 days overstay after entering Thailand in 2010 on a 60 day tourist visa. Officers say the man was arrested…
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Chinese New Year on Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road cancelled again due to Covid-19
Chinese New Year is expected to be celebrated on February 1 to welcome the Year of the Tiger. But with the raising Covid-19 infection rate, especially in Bangkok, the Chinese New Year event on the Yaowarat Road, known as Chinatown, is cancelled again this year. The Royal Jubilee Gate, or Odeon Gate, will still be decorated, and people are allowed…
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Officials considering Sandbox destinations in every region – Health Minister
Along with pushing for the resumption of the Test & Go scheme, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the ministry is discussing adding more Sandbox destinations to have the entry scheme open in every region of Thailand. The ministry will make formal proposals, including lowering the Covid-19 alert level to level 3, at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration general…
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Tourism Ministry pushing for return of Test & Go from February
Thailand’s tourism minister says he’s pushing for the return of the Test & Go entry scheme, potentially as early as next month. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the resumption of the scheme could mean at least 8 million international tourists this year. The CCSA meets tomorrow to discuss easing a number of restrictions and potentially rebooting Test & Go. The Omicron variant…
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One million sign call for withdrawal of Amnesty International Thailand’s operating license
Apparently, one million people want to expel Amnesty International from Thailand. The vice minister of the Prime Minister’s office says he’s collected one million signatures in his campaign to withdrawal the non-profit organisation’s operating license. The vice minister, who some call “Rambo Isaan,” accuses the NGO of being a threat to the country. Amnesty International Thailand has been a vocal…
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Thailand’s Commerce Ministry sets up war rooms to combat high prices
In an effort to take legal steps against merchants selling products at unfairly high prices, the Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce Boonyarit Kalayanamit says he will chair war rooms to combat high prices. The secretary stated this yesterday in an urgent meeting with Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit. The director-general of the Internal Trade Department under the Commerce Ministry,…
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Popular “sexpat” blogger Stickboy leaves Thailand over dead nightlife, restrictions
The popular redlight district blogger (and “sexpat”) Stickboy has left Thailand, apparently due to the lack of nightlife over the past two years. Stickboy, whose real name is Mike McKay, has been a long time expat in Thailand. He calls himself a “party animal with hollow legs” and is known for his posts of busty women mixed in with general…
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Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry to propose reopening Test & Go registration by February
It’s no surprise that Thailand’s tourism officials are pushing to reopen registration for the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. The Tourism and Sports Minister told Thai media that the ministry, along with the Public Health Ministry, will make a proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to resume registration for the entry scheme by February. The minister, Pipat…
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Suvarnabhumi Airport’s passenger terminal to be extended for future tourists
In the next 10 years, Thailand could rank as the world’s ninth busiest travel hub welcoming 200 million passengers each year, according to a forecast from the International Air Transport Association. To prepare for the anticipated post-pandemic uptick, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is extending its east side of the main passenger terminal. The government approved an initial budget of 7.8 billion…
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More Burmese migrants detained along Thailand’s western border
Police arrested 63 Burmese migrants seeking jobs in Thailand for allegedly crossing the borders into Thong Pha Phum, Sai Yok and Sangkhla Buri districts illegally yesterday. Two Thai men were also arrested for allegedly attempting to help smuggle the migrants across the border. One of them was reportedly caught driving 18 migrants in a pickup truck. The police found 12…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 6,397 new cases, provincial totals
18 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,956 with 258 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,397 new Covid-19 cases and 6,637 recoveries. There are now 81,952 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Teenagers arrested for allegedly stealing batteries, steel railings from a train station
Two 19 year olds were arrested and charged for allegedly stealing batteries from trucks who also admitted to stealing stainless steel railings from a train station in Samut Prakan yesterday. Following the warrant issued by the district court, police stopped the motorbike of two suspects on Soi Dan Samrong 24/66 in Muang district’s tambon Samrong Nuea and arrested them at…
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7 people rescued after speedboat from Koh Chang hits rocks, sinks
A group travelling by speedboat from Koh Chang had to be rescued after the boat hit rocks, causing it to take on water and sink. The seven people on board the speedboat, including the skipper, were floating in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Trat’s Koh Lim for around two hours. The group had been travelling from the…
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Tonga tragedy prompts PM to check if Thailand’s prepared for another tsunami
That reminds me… The recent volcanic eruption on the island of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai in Tonga has prompted the Thai PM to check Thailand’s preparedness in the event of another tsunami. According to a Nation Thailand report, the PM has instructed relevant agencies to keep an eye on developments in Tonga and to ensure Thailand’s disaster warning system is working. Government spokesperson…
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Thai government to help dropouts return to school
Several government agencies are collaborating on a new initiative to assist children who have dropped out of school to return and complete their education. At the project’s launch ceremony yesterday, Thailand’s Education Minister and heads of related agencies signed a memorandum of understanding for the project. Education ministry records have recorded 238,707 child dropouts in Thailand. Reasons for dropping out…
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A 29 year old man in Pattaya allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death
A 29 year old man in the eastern suburbs of Pattaya City was admitted to a local medical facility on Sunday night after he allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death before attempting suicide. At around 11pm on the night of the incident, police and emergency responders found the body of a 39 year old woman on the floor with five…
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Over 95% of content Thailand asks Google to remove is government criticism – the highest rate in the world
A study by virtual private network firm Surfshark shows that since 2011, Thailand has submitted 1,147 requests for Google to remove content. The Bangkok Post reports that over 95% of those requests was about content considered critical of the government – the highest rate in the world. As part of the study, Surfshark says it analysed Google’s Transparency Report. Thailand…
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The return of Test & Go? Health Minister to propose entry scheme be restored
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says he’s backing the restoration of the Test & Go entry scheme as concerns about the Omicron variant subside. Test & Go was suspended around 4 weeks ago as the highly-contagious Covid-19 variant spread around the globe. Now, Anutin Charnvirakul says he’ll ask the CCSA to consider bringing it back, as well as easing a number…
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Senior Thai doctor says Covid-19 could lead to long term side effects
A Covid-19 infection could cause long-term side effects in people after they have recovered, including fatigue and cognitive impairment, according to a top doctor at the Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine. The doctor, Thira Woratanarat, analysed over 80 research works of Covid survivors. These long-term side effects, known as “long Covid,” can even impact people who were never hospitalised for…
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126 Burmese migrants seeking jobs arrested in Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai for illegal entry
Thai border authorities arrested 126 people from Myanmar for allegedly crossing the Thai border illegally on Sunday, evading the mandatory quarantine and immigration screening. The arrested people had reportedly crossed into Chiang Mai and Kanchanaburi provinces. Four men and eight women were caught in Sangkhala Buri District, while patrols found 38 men and 38 women hiding in bushes next to…
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City Guide: Where to shop till you drop in Bangkok
Bangkok is known the world over for it markets, temples, street food, walking streets, tuk tuks and ladyboys, to name a few. But this bustling city also offers a dazzling array of shopping hotspots. From its countless, colourful night markets indulging the bargain hunter’s dream to the glitz and glamour of upscale shopping malls — which one is the best…
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Swedish man enjoying a beer on Pattaya Beach files police report after being slapped, threatened by Thai men
A Swedish man says he was attacked and threatened while he was enjoying a beer on Pattaya Beach. Apparently, one Thai man went up to him and slapped him, and then another yelled and threatened him last Friday night. The 49 year old foreigner filed a report with police 11pm that night. Officers have been looking for the two suspects…
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Thailand’s Health Ministry to propose reopening Test & Go registration
The Public Health Ministry plans to make a proposal to reopen registration for the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told Thai media today of his plan to make the proposal to the CCSA for this week’s meeting. The proposal needs approval from Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration before travellers can register for the entry…
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Monday Covid Update: 6,929 new cases, provincial totals
13 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,938 with 240 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,929 new Covid-19 cases and 5,255 recoveries. There are now 82,210 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Thailand’s first virtual monk targets at new generation Buddhists
Thailand is now using artificial intelligence to spread Buddhist messages. Meet Phra Maha AI, Thailand’s first virtual monk. He’s 30 years old, but says he understands the “teenage world.” The AI abbot shares easy-to-understand doctrine in an effort to target the new generation. He just had his first interview with Thai media, telling reporters that his Thai creator and developing…
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Pandemic creates labour shortages in Thailand
The Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to an ageing population and declining birth rates, has created a labour shortage in Thailand. Over the past two years, unemployed Thais have started to leave their jobs to work as freelancers or run their own businesses. The National Economic and Social Development Council states that the number of Thais in the workforce will go…
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Hackers target Twitter account of Thai Revenue Department
The government has advised netizens to be cautious after the Revenue Department’s Twitter account was hacked by unknown attackers. According to a Thai PBS World report, the hackers deleted nearly all previous tweets on the account and changed its name to Revenue/NFT. They then posted just one tweet, which read, “I’m looking to collaborate with NFT projects. DM (direct message)…
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Cobra Gold military exercise downsized this year due to Omicron spread
Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold military exercise, where Thai soldiers train the US and other foreign troops on jungle survival skills, is being scaled down this year due to the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The large, multinational military exercise has been known for its snake decapitating demonstration where soldiers drink the fresh blood from the headless snake before…
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Tourists unsure about new 300-baht fee, question how money will be spent
The jury’s out on Thailand’s new 300-baht tourism fee, with foreigners expressing reservations about its introduction. The Thai government has confirmed that all overseas arrivals will have to pay the 300-baht levy from April. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, a number of foreigners have questioned how the money will be spent. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana has previously stated that the…
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Thai airlines pin their hopes on government resuming Test & Go
The president of the Airlines Association of Thailand says the government must allow the Test & Go entry scheme to resume as soon as possible. The scheme was recently suspended as the Omicron Covid-19 variant spread rapidly across the globe. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, who is also the boss of Bangkok Airways, says the scheme was working well, attracting more foreign visitors…
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