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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Pattaya prepares for around 2,000 US soldiers to visit for Cobra Gold
Despite Thailand’s record high Covid-19 count, around 1,000 to 2,000 United States soldiers are still expected to travel to Thailand in August for the annual Cobra Gold multinational military exercise, which is co-sponsored by the US. Thai soldiers teach American and other foreign soldiers jungle survival skills, from identifying edible plants to decapitating snakes, drinking the blood, and then cooking…
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Thailand News Today | Vaccine passports announced, hospital-dodgers to be prosecuted | April 21
The president of the Thai Hotels Association says many properties are now considering shutting down for the entire low season as a result of the Covid-19 resurgence. They claim that smaller hotels simply don’t necessarily have the resources of the larger chains and are struggling with cash flow and crippled by low tourist demand. They say many are considering shutting…
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Human Rights Watch calls on Thailand to release activists detained on lèse majesté charges
The Human Rights Watch is calling on Thai authorities to release pro-democracy activists who are detained on lèse majesté charges which carry an up to 15 year prison sentence for insulting the Thai Monarchy. HRW says the charges should be dropped because the activists’ rights to freedom of expression and assembly have been violated. 2 of the detained activists, both…
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Thailand to purchase additional 35 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says the Thai government will purchase another 35 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in addition to the 65 million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The prime minister made a post on his Facebook page today announcing that Thailand will produce the additional doses from 2 or possibly 3 companies. Out of the 35 million…
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CCSA Update: 1,458 new Covid-19 cases, provincial totals
1,458 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing, stabilising the recent upward spike of new infections since the outbreaks at nightlife venues in Bangkok. Since April 1, 17,780 Covid-19 cases and 16 deaths have been reported by the CCSA. The 2 additional Covid-related deaths today were a 56 year…
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Free media threatened by Covid-19-inspired laws
The International Commission of Jurists is warning that media and journalists in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam are seeing legal repression grow during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a submission to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the group outlined the expanding threat. New laws that many claim violate human rights also serve to throttle the space…
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‘Entry Thailand’ website launched to facilitate process for international travellers
To facilitate the process for travellers entering Thailand, tourism officials have launched a website as a one-stop-shop to make arrangements to travel to Thailand including booking an alternative state quarantine hotel. As to who these travellers would be at this time, that hasn’t been made clear. The “Entry Thailand” website set up by the Tourism Authority of Thailand outlines 6…
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Thai monk beheads himself with guillotine in attempt to reach nirvana, followers could face charges
A monk, apparently ‘seeking nirvana’, has beheaded himself with a handmade guillotine in the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lamphu. Police are now investigating to determine if any of the monk’s followers should be charged for helping the abbot with his untidy path to enlightenment. The monk, Dhammakorn Wangphrecha, reportedly spent 5 years planning his death and believed it would…
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Health officials advise on how to handle Covid-19 risk
Health authorities in Thailand are seeking a balance between testing at-risk people for Covid-19 and keeping the public calm in the face of a growing pandemic. While those who have been in contact or close proximity with Covid-infected patients need to be tested, many people are becoming hypochondriacs, fearing every symptom or ailment, from a simple cold to a headache,…
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Thai hotels consider temporary shutdown amid low tourist demand
The president of the Thai Hotels Association says many properties are considering shutting down for the low season as a result of the Covid-19 resurgence. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says smaller hotels that don’t necessarily have the resources of the large chain properties are struggling with cash flow and crippled by low tourist demand. Many are considering shutting up shop between…
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Group rallies outside US Embassy in Bangkok, calls for America to stop interfering in Thai politics
In the midst of a pro-democracy movement in Thailand, some claim the United States government is influencing Thai politics and even fueling the divide between political parties, particularly those who support the Thai monarchy and the younger activists who are pushing for democracy and monarchy reform. Yesterday, a group rallied outside the US Embassy in Bangkok calling on the American…
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74 Covid patients who refused to go to field hospitals may face prosecution
Thailand’s Health Ministry says it may prosecute a number of Covid-19 patients who refused to be treated at field hospitals. It’s understood the 74 patients, most of whom are from so-called “hi so” families in Bangkok, told officials that a stay in a field hospital would be “inconvenient”. Instead, deputy public health minister Sathit Pitutecha says the patients decided to…
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7 people develop adverse side-effects after receiving Chinese vaccine
A doctor at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University says 7 people developed temporary partial paralysis after receiving a Covid-19 jab. The 7 were all inoculated with CoronaVac, the vaccine from Chinese manufacturer, Sinovac Biotech. All were in the east of the country, with 6 in Rayong and 1 in Chon Buri. Dr Thiravat Hemachudha says all 7 improved after they were given…
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PM says safety was the reason behind limited vaccine procurement
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha says the limited procurement of Covid-19 vaccines was for safety reasons, as well as being based on the situation in the country at the time. “Initially, the purchases Thailand made were based on the situation at that time, when we were successful in containing the outbreak.” He was responding to criticism from several quarters about…
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Covid-19 infects 146 front line Thai medical workers
In the current third outbreak of Covid-19, 146 front line hospital and medical workers have been infected with the virus. This figure was confirmed by a spokesperson for the CCSA yesterday. Infected staff members have been isolated in mandatory quarantine since being diagnosed. Contact tracing research found that about 33 of the medical staff contracted Covid-19 by being in direct…
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Entertainment venues the source of 6,020 Covid-19 infections
As the Covid-19 third wave reaches in Thailand’s provinces, the main culprit in the spread of the infectious new strain is entertainment venues such as bars, clubs and pubs. With around 1,000 – 1,500 new daily infections over the past week, 71 provinces throughout the country have traced Covid-19 infections back to clusters in bars and nightclubs. The CCSA announced…
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223 Covid-19 patients currently in critical condition
Covid-19’s recent rapid spread, with more than 1000 new cases a day consistently, 223 infected patients are now in critical condition. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration points out that the number of dire cases is in line with the increase in cases, pointing out that as Coronavirus cases spread, we will see over time an increase in critical condition…
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Thailand News Today | Phuket’s new arrival restrictions, ‘home quarantine’ under consideration | April 20
Starting today with the Covid figures… and after a 20% drop in new infections reported yesterday by the CCSA, Thailand has today recorded 1,443 cases. 4 more Covid-related deaths have also been recorded and 55 people are currently on ventilators under state care. The government claims there are 10,000 ventilators available while over 666,000 people in Thailand have now received…
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Thailand goes shopping for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
Still waiting for your vaccine? You’re not alone with only around 0.9% of Thailand currently vaccinated. With the Public Health Ministry nailed to just two international vaccines at this stage – the Chinese Sinovac and the AstraZeneca vaccines – it has found itself running short as it tries to catch up to regional neighbours and the rest of the world.…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,443 new infections, provincial totals
After a 20% drop in new infections reported yesterday by the CCSA, Thailand has today recorded 1,443 cases. 4 more deaths have also been recorded. 55 people are now on ventilators under state care. The government claims there are 10,000 ventilators available. 666,210 people in Thailand have now received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. Only 2 of…
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Top virologist says vaccine boosters will be needed to maintain Covid protection
A prominent virologist from Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University says it’s likely that people vaccinated against Covid-19 will still require boosters in order to remain protected. Yong Poovorawan shared his views in a Facebook post yesterday, after a study of recovered patients showed that their immunity to the virus started to drop between 3 and 6 months after infection. “It is highly…
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Thanathorn suggests 4 changes to government’s handling of pandemic
The former leader of a now-disbanded opposition party has suggested 4 ways the government could improve its handling of the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of the Future Forward Party, and now chairman of the Progressive Movement, has posted his suggestions on the group’s Facebook page. According to a Bangkok Post report, the suggestions relate to the…
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Asymptomatic Covid patients may be allowed to self-isolate at home
Thailand’s Health Ministry says asymptomatic Covid-19 patients may be allowed to recover at home, in order to ensure hospital beds can be kept for seriously ill patients. The ministry says it’s preparing a “recover at home” plan, but insists it is not being implemented for the time being as there are currently enough beds available. Just over a week ago,…
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Thai airlines facing another setback
With more trouble on the horizon for Thailand’s airlines, they’re now pressuring the Government to step up the vaccination push. Adding to their recent woes, guidelines were released by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, where all domestic flights scheduled between 11 pm and 4 am are now suspended, in-flight services have been cancelled for now and, well, passenger bookings…
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THAILAND NEWS TODAY | Slight drop in new cases, Pattaya Pit Bull aftermath, Australia and NZ travel bubble | April 19
Thailand’s CCSA reported a total of 1,390 new Covid infections today, tallied from Thailand’s provinces in the past 24 hours. The good news is that the tally is a welcome drop in new case reports. The bad news is that it’s still a record levels of new infections, compared to the last surges in December last year and earlier…
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Current list of restrictions for provinces around Thailand
The situation continues to be quite fluid. But if you need to travel at this time, here are the latest restrictions in the red and orange zone provinces. If you planning on travelling, you need to get acquainted with the latest restrictions in your destination province, and you should check if you need additional travel documents. The could change at…
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Thailand’s 3rd wave wreaks havoc on the Tourism Restart Plan – where are we now?
OPINION by Andrew J Wood Thailand Ministers ponder the next steps to re-start it’s massive tourism industry, initially set for July 1, 2021 in Phuket. The plan may need to be overhauled as Phuket struggles to immunise the whole island in the wake of the third wave of hotspots. Phuket, prior to the third wave had already secured more than…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,390 new infections, 3 new deaths
Thailand’s CCSA has reported a total of 1,390 new Covid infections today, tallied from Thailand’s 77 provinces in the past 24 hours. The tally is a welcome drop in new case reports after the last 5 days’ record levels of new infections. Yesterday there were 1,767 new infections reported by the CCSA. 3 more people have died of Covid-related illnesses, 14,851…
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Thai government urges people to work from home where possible
The government is calling on all employers whose staff can work from home to implement such measures immediately, as new Covid-19 infections hit another record high. Yesterday, the Kingdom reported 1,767 new infections and 2 additional deaths, taking the death toll to 101. There are 28 patients on ventilators. According to a Bangkok Post report, Taweesilp Visanuyothin from the Centre for…
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Teen crashes motorbike into parked car while looking at phone
A teen girl has crashed and ended up trapped under her motorbike early yesterday morning after using her mobile phone while driving. The accident occurred around 3:30am on Jomtien Second Road in South Pattaya. The 14 year old girl was driving home from what she described as a private engagement when she looked down to check her mobile phone. Distracted,…
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