Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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Sponsored 12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Thailand braces for higher fuel and energy costs
The full impact of international fuel price rises and inflation is about to arrive in Thailand. After many months of shielding the full impact of price rises, mostly with a diesel subsidy which capped the pump price at 30 baht a litre, the prices are now set to soar The government’s diesel subsidy has been in place since last October…
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Thailand’s wet seasons and the annual monsoons
Thailand has just three seasons… damn hot, not-quite-so-hot and wet (sometimes torrential). The wet time of the year is variously called the wet season, the green season or monsoon. Whilst some people view the rain, sometimes very heavy, as a disruption, other embrace the annual downpours and enjoy the break from the hot weather. Depends if you’re riding on a…
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PM calls on schools to implement strict Covid safety measures on re-opening
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has instructed the Education Ministry to ensure schools are equipped to manage Covid-19 when they re-open. According to government spokesman, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the PM wants education facilities to implement strict Covid-19 prevention measures when they re-open on May 17. According to a Nation Thailand report, the measures include: • Conducting regular checks on the virus…
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Federation of Thai Industries concerned about plans for minimum wage hike
Thailand’s Federation of Thai Industries has expressed concern about the impact a rise in the minimum wage could have on small and medium-sized businesses. The federation says if a proposal to increase the minimum wage to 492 baht goes ahead, it will have a severe impact on such firms. According to a Bangkok Post report, the FTI was responding to…
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New upper speed limit increases to 120 kilometres per hour on some Thai motorways
From yesterday, the speed limit for all traffic will now increase to 120 kilometres per hour. The change covers at least four highways in Thailand as a pilot program. The announcement was made by the director-general of the Highways Department and is already published in the Royal Gazette. There’s been a few false starts on the raising of the national…
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Another Phuket festival showcases the island’s traditional clothing
Another Phuket seafood festival, but this time, there’s a unique new feature! From Friday until Saturday night, officials in Kathu district Phuket organised the ‘Suk Jai Naithu’ festival. The festival included a parade of people dressed in colourful, elaborate costumes. These costumes are the traditional clothing of Phuket. ‘Suk Jai Nathu’ means ‘Happy Naithu’. Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pitsuwan and…
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How are expats coping with Thailand’s rising cost of living? – VIDEO
Sunday Thailand news update. Tim goes through the main headlines of the day then takes your questions and comments in our new weekend Thaiger Weekend Update. The main topic is the rising cost of living in Thailand and if it’s going to push out more expats who are on fixed incomes. But where will they go? An hour of the…
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Phuket driver filmed obstructing ambulance claims he didn’t hear it
A Phuket driver, who was caught on film driving slowly and erratically braking, obstructing an ambulance that was taking a seriously injured woman to a hospital, has now presented himself to police. A video clip was posted online on Thursday, causing outrage among Thai netizens. The driver presented himself at Phuket City Police Station yesterday (Saturday). He claims he didn’t…
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Floor of Bangkok condo collapses, 1 killed
One floor of a condominium in the Bang Sue district of Bangkok has collapsed between last night and this morning, killing a construction worker. Five other people were also injured when the floor came crashing down. It’s still unknown which floor in the 27 storey building collapsed, however, engineers and forensic investigators are inspecting the site today. The condo is…
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Officials worried about low number of Irrawadday dolphins in Thailand
Thai officials are worried about the low number of dolphins of a particular breed in Thailand. Despite campaigns in past years to preserve Irrawaddy dolphins, only 14 of them were found in Songkhla Lake, and 89 in the Mekong River, according to a 2020 survey. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said that dolphins often die when they get…
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Days before curfew eases, Pattaya police raid ‘restaurant’ at 11:30pm over alcohol
Just one day before Thailand’s official alcohol curfew goes from 11pm to midnight, Pattaya police raided two ‘restaurants’ last night at around 11:30pm for allegedly serving alcohol past 11pm. The restaurants were on Walking Street, located at the south end of Pattaya beach. Pattaya police yesterday started enforcing a closure of Walking Street from vehicle traffic as the area was…
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Thailand tourism authorities want to attract 1 million tourists a month in final quarter
Things are looking up for Thailand’s tourism sector as several entry restrictions are set to ease tomorrow (Sunday). On April 25, it was reported that 713,183 international travellers had arrived in Thailand this year, more than 50% actual tourists. Now, the Tourism Authority of Thailand reportedly hopes to attract at least 1 million tourists every month heading into the next…
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Phuket police and park officers rescue American lost in jungle
Phuket Tourist Police and national park officers have rescued an American tourist who got lost in a jungle in Thalang district yesterday in central Phuket. The tourist, an unnamed 68 year old man, had become lost in the afternoon, but the team luckily found him in the early evening. He reportedly had some scratches on his leg, and was dehydrated,…
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Woman in northern Thailand allegedly planned to have husband killed
A woman in Thailand’s lower northern province of Nakhon Sawan allegedly planned to have her husband run over by a car, so that she and her friend could share his 10 million baht insurance payout. The woman, 48 year old Pratheep, and her friend, 60 year old Jaemchan, allegedly hired Jaemchan’s nephew to do the deed for them, running Pratheep’s…
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Is Thailand no longer a tourist favourite | Thailand Weekend Update
Jay takes you through Saturday’s main news topics in Thailand’s news and answers your questions live. Your views, comments and lots of Jay time. Today’s question is if the Thailand Pass has done more harm than good, and taken the gloss off Thailand’s favoured tourist destination title.
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Employers in Thailand object to raising minimum wage
In the midst of Thailand’s worst worker’s debt in 14 years, Thai employers are opposing a new proposal to increase the country’s daily minimum wage. The currrent minimum daily wages range from 313 baht to 336 baht, depending on which part of the country you’re in. In Bangkok it’s 331 baht. Earlier this week, the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee and…
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Inspections reveal 12 Thai prisons serving rotten food to inmates
Spot-check inspections conducted at prisons across Thailand reveal that a total of 12 prisons were serving rotten food to inmates. The prisons were serving chicken, pork, vegetables and condiments all past their use-by-date. Prison officers in the 12 prisons are thought to have profited from the scandal, according to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, who publicly addressed the results of the…
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Scalpers resell Justin Bieber concert ticket at more than one million baht
Justin Bieber Justice World Tour tickets have been scalped and resold for more than one million baht. The promoter’s official account says… “This is too much!” and warns of the cancellation of scalped tickets. Justin Bieber announced his Justice World Tour in Bangkok, and it will hit Rajamangala National Stadium on November 6. The ticket prices started at 2,500 baht,…
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Thailand’s police warn, don’t fall for ‘deepfake’ scams
A Thai deputy police spokesman warned people today that scammers are using so-called ‘deepfake’ technology to pretend to be police on video calls, and pressure people to transfer money to them. The spokesman pointed out that Royal Thai Police does not have a policy of making video calls to anybody involved in a criminal case, be it the defendant, suspect…
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Thailand successfully tests “Ultraman” electro-diesel trains
Thailand’s new electro-diesel trains – named after a Japanese superhero – are going on test runs before being deployed on long-distance journeys across the nation. The State Railway of Thailand, or SRT, received 20 “Ultraman” trains on Wednesday. Ultraman’s first test run between Bangkok’s Bang Sue Station and Chachoengsao was a success, according to the SRT. The trains will be…
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UPDATE: Police arrest taxi driver who robbed drunken foreigner asleep on sidewalk
Following the report of a drunken foreigner who got robbed by a taxi driver while sleeping on the sidewalk in Bangkok, police have already arrested the suspect. The taxi driver said he meant to just wake the foreigner up, but the man’s assets ‘enticed’ him. Last Sunday, a local Thai news Facebook page reported that a taxi driver had robbed a…
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Friday Covid Update: 14,053 new cases; provincial totals
129 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,400 with 6,702 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,053 new Covid-19 cases and 16,782 recoveries. There are now 155,910 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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American consulate in Chiang Mai accused of covert military operations
US officials in Thailand are denying allegations that a new American consulate in Chiang Mai is supplying weapons to rebel groups in neighbouring countries and is being used for covert military operations. A local Thai group wrote an open letter requesting US President Joe Biden rethink the purpose of the consulate, which is scheduled to be completed by the end…
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Thailand’s Department of Health reveals 5-10% of population refuse to wear face masks
Thailand’s Department of Health says a survey on face masks conducted during Songkran reveals that more than 90% of the population in Thailand wears face masks in public spaces. However, another 5-10% “refused” to wear face masks, saying they are “uncomfortable”. Deputy Director-General of the Department of Health Ekkachai Piensiwatchara reported that 5-10% of the Thai population didn’t wear face…
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Squabble over 50 billion baht beachfront land in Phuket
Beachfront land in Phuket valued at 50 billion baht remains occupied, despite the Supreme Court’s orders for 9 claimants to vacate their plots. The Thai government, locals and companies have squabbled over the 178 rai of land – which covers 3 kilometres of Layan Beach – for 30 years. Officials from the Department of Special Investigation, or DSI, inspected the…
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Airlines worldwide ordered to follow new entry measures for Thailand from May 1
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has instructed all airlines to follow the new entry measures applicable from Sunday, according to a Nation Thailand report. The notification follows the decision by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to drop the Test & Go entry scheme. This means overseas arrivals no longer need to undergo PCR testing on arrival or book…
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Domestic tourism stimulus campaigns to be extended
The government will extend its “We Travel Together” domestic tourism stimulus campaign, as well as the less popular “Tour Teaw Thai” campaign, until the end of 2022, according to a Bangkok Post report. Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says phase 5 of “We Travel Together” will offer 1 million room nights, after phase 4 ends next month.…
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Airlines raise concerns over Thailand’s 300-baht tourism fee, coming in Q3
Thailand continues to be a troublesome destination for airlines keen on resuming flights into the Kingdom. Firstly with the lingering Thailand Pass digital gateway, and now a new tourism tax (which will include compulsory insurance). Thailand’s tourism ministry has confirmed the proposed 300 baht tourism fee looks set to be implemented from the third quarter of 2022. Ministry official Mongkon…
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31 land border checkpoints in 17 provinces to reopen on May 1
Land border checkpoints in 17 border provinces will reopen on May 1, according to the Department of Disease Control. Vaccinated Thai citizens and travellers from neighbouring countries can enter Thailand via the checkpoints. Foreigners will still need to register for Thailand Pass prior to entering via land border. Today, Assistant Spokesperson of the Covid-19 Situation Administration Centre Sumanee Watcharasin revealed…
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BTS urges passengers not to cross their legs while sitting
Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain is asking for cooperation from the passengers to avoid crossing their legs while sitting on the train during a rush hour to avoid annoying people… Yesterday, the official Facebook page รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส (BTS Skytrain) published a post saying… “We ask for your cooperation, please do not cross your legs while sitting on the skytrain. Admin would like to…
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