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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Police not accepting the new smartphone driving licence yet
Great. Don’t have to carry my physical Driver’s Licence anymore! But hang on, news today from the Royal Thai Police that they won’t recognise your snazzy new App which displays your digital driver’s licence on your smart phone. Net yet anyway. Police are now saying they won’t recognise the new digital driver’s licenses until a legal amendment is in place.…
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Weather for January 15
Bangkok Phuket Chiang Mai Ko Samui Songkhla Pattaya
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Thai Electronic Driving License on smart phone App from today
From today a new App can be used where motorists will be able to show their license credentials to any law enforcement officer in Thailand. This means you no longer have to carry your physical licence. The police will be able to scan a QR code and check all details including bans or outstanding fines, on the spot. The driver’s…
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A reduction of 100 million+ plastic bags at 7-eleven stores in one month
More than 100 million plastic bags have not bee used at Thailand’s 7-eleven stores in the past month, valued at more than 20 million baht. CP All Public Company, the sole operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand, announced its intention to reduce and, eventually, to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags at all their stores throughout the country.…
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Future teaching graduates don’t need good ‘English’ levels to pass
The committee in charge of preparing a teacher qualifications framework has decided to lower the level of English needed for its graduates following pressure from its stakeholders. The committee’s chair Rathakorn Kidkan mentioned serious concerns that students may not be able to graduate if the English level was set too high. Using the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for…
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Thailand police trial mobile app to keep track of patrolling police
A new pilot project is being trialed in Bangkok by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) to potential prevent some policemen who have found ways to skip their patrol work. Real-time tracking GPS (global positioning system) technology is being implemented via a smartphone application that must be downloaded by the officers who are assigned to conduct surveillance operations or regular patrols.…
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Weather for January 14
Bangkok Partly cloudy. High 34C. Winds light and variable. Chiang Mai Partly cloudy. High 32C. Winds light and variable. Phuket Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 31C. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 50%. Udon Thani Partly cloudy. High 33C. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 km/h. Songkhla Mostly sunny. High near…
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Three reasons Thailand is winning on same-sex rights *Thaiger Bites
Success for the gay rights cause in Thailand lies in, as the old Chinese formula goes, the “right time, the right place, the right people” Last month, the Thai government supported a bill that would make Thailand the first Asian jurisdiction to allow same-sex civil partnerships. It is significant progress in the battle for sexual equality in Asia, in contrast…
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Army chief claims election delay critics are “bent on creating trouble”
In a country where the Army has played such a prominent part in the politics of Thailand for so long, we shouldn’t be surprised by commentary today from the Thai Army Commander-in-Chief. General Apirat Kongsompong says that those campaigning against the election delay have a “one-track mind and bent on creating troubles”. “They are being told to think this way,…
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BOI approves new rail services, new port investment
PHOTO: Duangjai Asawachintachit, BOI secretary general The Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) has laid out strategies to boost the development of rail services and the country’s cruise tourism. Duangjai Asawachintachit, BOI secretary general, says the latest BOI meeting chaired by the Prime Minister had resolved to instigate measures to attract investment in rail development and related infrastructure for continued…
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VIDEO: Woman has meltdown in Thai airport
A video posted on social media has been doing the rounds. In the video a woman is seen yelling at an Air Asia airport staff for being told her carry on must be checked in because it was 7.2 kilos over the 7 kilogram weight limit. The woman is calmly told that she will have check-in the extra luggage and…
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Event Round-Up – January 2019
Into a new year and a month packed with activities around the country. The highly anticipated Thailand Yacht Show & RendezVous 2019 kicks off at Phuket Royal Marina on January 10-13. A collaboration between some of the most respected and experienced figures in the Southeast Asian yachting industry, Thailand Yacht Show & RendezVous is the country’s new and improved yacht…
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Medical cannabis crops to be tightly controlled
The Thai narcotic control board head says that only Thai citizens who join hands with the government will be allowed to cultivate medical cannabis. The board yesterday stressed that growers of the potentially lucrative crop must be cooperatives, community enterprises or social enterprises made up of citizens – and not private companies. Their business will be under the scrutiny of…
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Saudi refugee granted asylum, flying to Canada
18 year old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun boarded a Korean Air flight last night, bound, ultimately for Toronto, Canada, via Seoul. She came to public attention last weekend when she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room saying she had been abused by her Saudi family. In a widely followed social media (Twitter) campaign, the plucky 18 year old explained she…
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Saudi refugee: Friday milestones and developments
Confusion reigned today over where the 18 year old Saudi woman, who fled from Kuwait to Thailand to escape her allegedly abusive family, would be resettled. Here are some of the key developments in the story today… • Surachate Hakparn, Thailand’s Immigration Police Chief, initially spoke to CNN saying that Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun had been offered asylum by Australia as…
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Pabuk: Tax refunds for home and car repairs
The Thai Cabinet has approved a tax refund for people who need to repair damage to their home or car following tropical storm Pabuk hitting the southern Gulf coastline a week ago. Pinsai Surasawadi, principal adviser on strategic tax administration for Finance and Banking, who is also a spokesman for the Revenue Department, said that home repairs costing less than…
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Thai preparedness limits Pabuk damage
Just a week ago the tropical storm Pabuk was poised to make landfall on the southern Thailand Gulf coast after days of predictions, warnings and anticipation. Now the entire event can be assessed in hindsight and lessons learned for next time. Reliefweb.int has issued a compiled report on Pabuk. “Early warning and early action helped ensure that tropical storm Pabuk,…
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Waiting game for Saudi refugee in Thailand
The ordeal of Saudi Arabian refugee Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun continues, with Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne telling reporters no asylum deal had been reached. VOA News is reporting that Al-Qunun, who barricaded herself in a hotel at Bangkok airport to prevent officials from deporting her after fleeing her family in Kuwait, has been granted refugee status by the UN refugee…
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Thailand back on track in the Asian Cup after win over Bahrain
Chanathip “Messi Jay” Songkrasin helped to drag Thailand football back on track at this year’s Asian Cup. The revitalised team won a 1-0 win over Bahrain in their Group A match at the Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai last night. The victory over Bahrain was the first positive sign after switching coaches, as the War Elephants won only their second match…
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Thailand opens doors to cryptocurrencies – Thaiger Bites
Divisions are forming across Asia with regards to cryptocurrencies. Some nations such as China are constantly stomping on anything to do with crypto assets but others, Thailand being the latest, are opening their digital doors to the fledgling industry. Over the past year Thailand has warmed to crypto and this latest raft of official licenses is a big boost to…
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Thai Interior Affairs ministry confirms memo ‘halting election preparations’ is genuine
PHOTO: South China Morning Post A leaked memo on social media, addressed to election officials in every province, to halt election preparations has now been confirmed to be genuine by the interior affairs Minister. The internal memo called for “all preparations for election are hereby halted” in absence of the Royal Decree, which was expected around New Year’s Day, but…
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Greenpeace positive on lifting of Thailand’s Yellow Card fishing sanction
PHOTO: VOA Thai Kobsak Pootrakool, from the PM’s Office says that the European Union (EU) decision to lift its yellow card status on the Thai fishing industry practices reflects significant progress made by the Government in recent years. “The government continues to work hard to improve the state of fishery industry regulations and administration. The next step is to make…
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Man shot dead by colleague in front of daughter
PHOTO: Amarin TV A man has been killed by his colleague in front his young daughter after he refused to conspire with him to cheat their boss out of money in Kanchanaburi, in western Thailand. Amarin TV reports that on Sunday 25 year old salesman Pongsin Pinkate, was shot dead by 35 year old colleague Pakkapon Kaewprink. Pongsin was killed…
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Civil Partnership Bill open for comment before heading to NLA
Members of the public are now being invited to comment on the Civil Partnership Bill on the Council of State’s website until January 23. The comments will be reviewed for consideration before the Council submits the bill to the National Legislative Assembly. If passed by the legislators, the law will make Thailand the first country in Asia to recognise same-sex…
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Serbian coach sacked after Thai thrashing in Asian Cup
The Football Association of Thailand has unceremoniously dumped the national coach Milovan Rajevac, just seven hours after Thailand was thrashed by India 1-4 in the Asian Cup group A game in Abu Dhabi. Thailand were far from impressive against the more powerful Indian team who beat the Kingdom’s side for the first time in 32 years. Thai Football Association reacted…
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In the wake of Pabuk, a media storm is brewing
by Tim Newton Now the actual storm has passed, a media storm is brewing over two key issues – tourists claiming they had little knowledge about the approaching storm and local tour operators, especially in the Andaman region, who say the media coverage was ‘hyped’ and overblown. “Stranded British tourists have spoken of their anger after being allowed to travel…
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NLA President urges critics not to blame Coronation for election delays
The country’s NLA President Pornpetch Wichitworachai is warning critics to refrain from blaming the forthcoming King’s coronation ceremony for causing potential delays in the national election. He says that authorities concerned with planning the election must choose appropriate timing for the election and ensure that it doesn’t affect the auspicious ceremony. “The ceremony would bring joy and happiness to the…
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Taxis are leading concern for tourists visiting Thailand
Tourist police say that Taxi’s continue to be one of the most pressing issues for tourists visiting Thailand. In 2018, 12,679 taxi drivers were arrested by police, of which 5,668 drivers refused to pick up passengers, compared to 1,681 last year. 3,408 drivers refused to use their fare meter, compared to 255 last year and 1,659 who were overcharging, where…
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Election Commission throws onus for election date back on Government
The Election Commission is throwing the ball back into government’s court, saying it can only set an election date after the government formally issues the Royal Decree announcing an election date. Over the past year the date of February has firmed, been confirmed by numerous Government officials, including the PM and his Deputies. The Election Commision president Ittiporn Boonpracong made…
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