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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Struggling massage parlours petition government for financial assistance
Representatives of Thailand’s spa and massage parlour industry are pleading with the government to provide some form of tailored financial aid to offset the impact of Covid-19. Yesterday, the Charawi Association for the Conservation of Thai Massage submitted a letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, who also chairs the government’s Covid-19 task force. In it, they call on his administration to…
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Protesters call rally in Bangkok to support activists charged over German Embassy petition
Pro-democracy activists have called a protest at Thung Mahamek police station in Bangkok, in a show of solidarity with 13 protesters arrested for delivering a petition to the German Embassy. Last October, members of the pro-democracy Ratsadon group led a march of thousands of people to the German Embassy on Sathorn Road. The protesters’ plan was to submit a petition…
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Thai PM promises free Covid vaccine for half the population in initial rollout
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has repeated his pledge to vaccinate half the population for free in 2021. Thailand will take delivery of its first supply of China’s Covid-19 vaccine by the end of next month, with an initial 200,000 doses of the Sinovac jab reserved. First in line will be healthcare workers and elderly people considered high risk. Following the initial…
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U-Tapao airport halts commercial flights due to Covid-19 outbreak
Commercial flights in and out of U-Tapao International Airport are suspended for the rest of the month due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Rayong and Chon Buri, which are classified as “red zone” provinces under maximum control. The domestic flights, which include flights to the popular destinations Phuket and Chiang Mai, could be suspended longer if the coronavirus situation in…
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Thailand News Today | 10,000 schools closed, 900 new migrant infections, Gambling crackdown | January 6
• The nationwide Emergency Decree has been extended until the end of February. The decree gives the Thai government the ability to set policies and procedures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 such as restricting travel and setting up road checkpoints. The emergency decree was first declared in April last year and has been extended, month by month, ever since.…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to form committee to investigate illegal gambling
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Thai government to form an investigation committee to crackdown on illegal gambling in response to the outbreak at a Rayong gambling venue. The spike in cases linked to illegal activity has caused problems for health officials who have been trying to track down elusive gamblers to contain the spread of the virus. The prime…
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Thai Airways cuts down international flight schedule
Due to the ongoing spread of Covid-19, Thai Airways is reducing its international flight schedule from now until March 27. Domestic flights will still operate as normal under the airline’s sister carrier Thai Smile. Thai Airways will reduce international flights to the following destinations: Asia Hong Kong: One daily return flight – TG638/TG639 Manila: One weekly return flight – TG624/TG625…
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Chiang Mai ranks 5th on travel site’s list of best places for digital nomads
Chiang Mai, a city which some say is a “rite of passage” for digital nomads, is a top location in the world to work remotely, according to the global travel site Big 7 Travel. In the list of “50 Best Places for Remote Working in 2021,” Chiang Mai ranked 5th out of 50 places. The site says the city has…
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Restaurants in Bangkok that violate the measures will be shut
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is to close restaurants that don’t comply with the Covid-19 restrictions for 14 days. Restaurant owners must follow the disease control measures strictly if they don’t want to worsen their business further. The Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says that, in all food shops in Bangkok, alcoholic drinks are banned from being served. “All districts must ensure that restaurants comply strictly with the Covid-19 steps of the BMA, such as socially distanced seating plans and the use of the Thai Chana application.” A restaurant owner told the Bangkok Post that the restaurant will be happy to…
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Bangkok website lists 11 “high risk” areas, urges visitors to identify themselves
A Bangkok website, known simply as BKK Covid-19, has listed 11 areas and venues now considered “high risk” and urged recent visitors to come forward. The places in question are spread across several provinces in the centre and east of the country. Those who have visited the following since December 15 are urged to register. 1. Samut Sakhon province 2.…
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Over 10,000 schools to close across Thailand in bid to curb virus spread
Over 10,000 schools, in at least 28 Thai provinces, are to close until January 31 and switch to online learning, in an effort to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The Kingdom is in the grip of a resurgence after months of no local transmission. On the southern resort island of Phuket, Governor Narong Woonciew has ordered all schools…
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Vaccines bring hope, but we won’t be out of the woods for some time – Thai health officials
Health officials in Thailand have welcomed the development of a number of seemingly-effective Covid-19 vaccines but warn that the “new normal” will remain for some time. In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says people will still have to wear masks, observe social distancing, and wash their hands regularly. “The challenge posed…
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392 killed in road accidents during New Year holiday’s “7 Dangerous Days”
Nearly 400 people were killed in road accidents in Thailand over the New Year holiday week known as the “7 Dangerous Days.” Motorcycles were involved in the vast majority of accidents while speeding and drink-driving were the most common causes of accidents. From December 29 up until yesterday, 392 people died in accidents, a 5% increase from last year’s toll…
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Justice minister proposes “fortune-telling” vocational program for prison inmates
Inmates in Thailand’s prisons might soon be able to study astrology and fortune-telling. Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin proposed the vocational program to help the prisoners get jobs after they are released. Somsak says the course is a low investment for the Board of Corrections, adding that fortune-telling is popular in Thailand and a skill inmates can use to earn money…
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Covid-19 control measures by province
Provincial authorities are stepping up disease control measures as Covid-19 spreads throughout the country. 55 of Thailand’s 77 provinces have reported at least 1 Covid-19 case since the new wave of the coronavirus. Here’s a run down of Covid-19 measures and advisories in some Thailand provinces, posted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Bangkok Closure of educational institutions at all…
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Can you survive 10 days of no talking, no phone? The Vipassana Silent Meditation Retreat | VIDEO
Thaiger team member Jett tells of his experience at a 10-day Vipassana Meditation Retreat in Phitsanulok Province in central Thailand. No talking, no phone, vegetarian meals, and 12 hours of meditation each day. Transformative experience or sheer insanity? Tim finds out the answers! Retreat location: https://goo.gl/maps/AuovZvEVPRkxMshy7 Learn more: https://www.dhamma.org https://www.youtube.com/user/VipassanaOrg
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Muslim couples in Yala who show affection could be arrested and forced to marry
Muslim unmarried couples in the southern Thai province of Yala could be arrested, and even forced to wed immediately by Islamic authorities, if they are seen being ‘affectionate’ in public. The new rule was set by the Yaha Central Mosque last month, according to Khaosod English. It’s unclear what types of public displays of affection are considered inappropriate, but apparently…
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UPDATE: 5 coastal provinces still open – Prayut rejects “total lockdown” proposal
The proposal for a “total lockdown” restricting travel in and out of 5 coastal provinces was rejected by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The provinces, Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat, are implementing strict measures to control the spread of the virus, but the provinces will not be completely sealed off. In earlier reports, Deputy Public Health Minister Satit Pitutacha…
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Public health official urges Bangkokians to eat at home
People in Bangkok should eat at home as much as possible to lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus, according to the director-general of the Department of Health. While there is now a ban on dine-in service from 9pm to 6am in Bangkok, Dr. Suwannachai Wattanacharoencha says people should still eat a home during the day. He says the best…
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Ban on Children’s Day activities in 28 “code red” provinces
The government’s Covid-19 task force has banned 28 Thai provinces, currently colour-coded “red” as a result of their case numbers, from holding any activities to celebrate Children’s Day on January 9. Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, is also calling on 11 “code orange” provinces, and 38 “yellow” provinces, to avoid holding activities to mark the…
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5 Thai provinces ordered into total lockdown
5 provinces in Thailand are in total lockdown, with travel restrictions barring anyone from leaving or entering, unless absolutely necessary. The provinces affected by the tough new measures are the eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat, as well as the central province of Samut Sakhon, where Thailand’s Covid-19 resurgence originated last month. Thai PBS World reports that…
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NE Monsoon in South – warnings of heavy rain and flash floods
South of Thailand is expected to face the northeast monsoon that is expected to bring in heavy rain that may cause flash floods. With the prevailing monsoon in the upper and the lower part of the Gulf of Thailand, some southern provinces, including Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat are likely to be affected by strong winds and waves that…
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Tourists sent back to Pattaya as Koh Lan goes into lockdown
Tourists vacationing on Koh Lan were sent back to the mainland today as the island, just off Pattaya, goes into lockdown. The local community, including business owners and residents, decided to impose lockdown measures starting tomorrow until January 20, according to the secretary of the island’s community Sorasak Thongbongpetch. Around 100 tourists were ordered to leave the island and asked…
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Thailand News Today | Record daily infections, Covid restrictions, British arrivals ‘on hold’ | Jan 4
745 new Covid-19 infections and 1 new coronavirus related death have been reported today during the daily briefing of the CCSA. Thailand now has 4,022 active Covid-19 cases with a total of 8,439 reported cases and 65 deaths since the beginning of the outbreak a year ago. Today’s figures include 505 cases in Samut Sakhon which were announced yesterday. Some…
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No lockdown in Phuket, governor calls for more disease control measures
There’s no lockdown in Phuket, the provincial governor says, but protective measures are in place to prevent the spread of the Covid-19. The province currently has 3 confirmed Covid-19 cases, classifying it as a “yellow zone,” a high surveillance area. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew says Phuket’s borders are still open to outside visitors, but all of them must be screened…
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UPDATE: New restrictions come into force in Thailand from today
Some new restrictions have been introduced and others tightened as the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced the latest list of restrictions taking effect from today. The latest list was published in the Royal Gazette yesterday and are now in force. On Friday the BMA suggested that restaurants in Bangkok may be prevented from providing in house dining, and providing take…
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Schools closed in 28 Thai provinces
Thailand’s Ministry of Education is closing all schools in 28 ‘highly controlled red zone’ provinces until January 31, or until further notice. The statement was released over the weekend and applies to all education institutions and both “informal and formal, public or private” schools. Parents should contact their schools to find out about alternative online teaching arrangements for affected schools. Here’s…
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