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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Health officials considering more relaxed quarantine for short-term visitors
The director-general of the Health Service Support Department says Thai officials are discussing a “more flexible form of quarantine” that would allow short-term tourists the freedom to travel within designated zones in provinces that are ready to re-open. Thares Krassanairawiwong says the tourists would be permitted to travel on specially designated routes, aka. “green lanes”, during their 14 day quarantine,…
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Border schools close for cleaning, thousands test for Covid-19 after Burmese truck drivers test positive
Nearly a dozen schools in Tak’s Mae Sot district closed today to be disinfected and around 4,000 people in the community are expected to be tested for Covid-19 after 3 Burmese cargo truck drivers tested positive for the virus after crossing through a border checkpoint. Those in communities deemed at high-risk have been told not to leave their home, unless…
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Where’s Boss? Wanted Red Bull heir spotted in Dubai
Some say they’ve spotted the wanted Red Bull heir in Dubai. Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya has an Interpol Red Notice out for his arrest and is wanted for allegedly killing a police officer in 2012 when he sped his Ferrari through Bangkok’s Thong Lo area, allegedly running over and dragging the police officer down the street. While Thai media reported the…
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Thailand News Today | Land bridge project, “Thai Bridge”, Chaing Mai black widow | October 12
Daily Thai TV News, with all the latest updates. Posted around 5pm, Monday to Friday. Protest leader says activists “in it for the long haul” Human rights lawyer and protest leader, Arnon Nampa, says political activists seeking to oust the current Thai government are “in it for the long haul”. The leader of the People’s Group (formerly the Free People…
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UPDATE: Broken railway crossing signal contributed to fatal bus-train collision east of Bangkok
A broken crossing signal led to the fatal collision yesterday, where a freight train smashed into a charter bus, killing 18 bus passengers and injuring another 44. Officials from the department as well as the State Railway of Thailand governor visited the site after the accident and say the broken crossing signal “contributed to the fatal incident”. The bus was…
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4 Burmese men arrested after crossing Moei River to Thailand
Tak border patrols have arrested 4 Burmese men who allegedly waded across the Moei River, crossing the natural border into Thailand illegally. Border officials have tightened their patrol since Myanmar reported a second wave of Covid-19 cases in August, and even more after this past weekend when 3 Burmese truck drivers tested positive for Covid-19 after entering Thailand through the…
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Thai Airways seeks to conserve finances by offering unpaid leave, early retirement
Thailand’s long-suffering national carrier is trying to conserve what cash it has by offering staff early retirement or unpaid leave. Thai Airways says it’s seeking to reduce its workforce in an attempt to stretch its finances to April 2021. According to a Bangkok Post report, acting president Chansin Treenuchagron says 80% of the airline’s employees have agreed to salary cuts…
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Thailand’s land bridge plan still floating
Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul says the government is still mulling the idea of a land bridge between the southern provinces of Ranong and Chumphon. The project’s aim would be to improve the infrastructure in the region by connecting the Gulf of Thailand directly with the Andaman Sea, “thereby making the Kingdom more competitive”. In a report in the Bangkok…
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The Pattaya to Hua Hin bridge. Government discusses 900 billion baht investment.
The government is looking into a so-called “Thai Bridge” that would connect Pattaya to Hua Hin, an estimated 900 billion baht investment. The project would be part of the Eastern Economic Corridor development plan aimed at improving the transportation and infrastructure in Thailand. The 900 billion baht investment is expected to take 10 years to financially implement, according to chairperson…
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UPDATE: 18 dead, 44 injured, bus collides with train in Chachoengsao
A bus has collided with a train next to Khlong Kwaeng Klan railway station, killing 18 passengers and injuring 44. The incident happened just after 8am this morning. The chartered bus was carrying some 60 factory workers to a Buddhist ceremony and was crossing a railway track when it was struck by a freight train headed to Samut Prakhan, south of…
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German politician raises questions about the status of Thailand’s Head of State
German politicians have raised questions in parliament about the status of Thailand’s Head of State as a part time resident in the state of Bavaria, after protests in Thailand have continued to make international news, drawing attention to Thailand and the Thai government’s fragile political situation. Frithjof Schmidt, from Germany’s Green Party, has questioned the German Foreign Ministry about its…
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New Bangkok BTS line to start running in December
A new Bangkok public transport monorail extension, the BTS Gold Line, is expected to start running before the end of the year. The scheduled run is the first phase of the BTS Gold Line to be rolled out along the Chao Phraya River in the Bang Phlad district. The new 1.72 kilometre BTS line will link Krung Thon Buriskytrain station…
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2 new cases, Covid-19 update (Sunday)
Thailand’s CCSA has reported 2 new cases of Covid-19 today, with a Thai soldier returning from South Sudan included in the daily report of new cases. The total of Covid-19 positive cases in Thailand sits at 3,636 with reported deaths remaining unchanged at 59. The 36 year old Thai soldier tested positive on his 4th test on Friday after returning…
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UPDATE: 18 dead, 44 injured, bus collides with train in Chachoengsao
A bus has collided with a train next to Khlong Kwaeng Klan railway station, killing 18 passengers and injuring 44. The incident happened just after 8am this morning. Earlier it was reported in Thai PBS World that 20 people had died. The incident in Chachoengsao province, about 50 kilometres east of Bangkok, occurred as passengers were on their way to…
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Bangkok police warn protesters not to block King’s motorcade in October 14 protest
Bangkok police are warning political demonstrators not to block His Majesty the King’s motorcade in their upcoming protest event on October 14. Thailand’s King is set to preside over the graduation ceremony for Level 6 and 9 Pali scholars at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Thailand’s deputy national police chief, Damrongsak Kittiprapat, says to cope with the demonstration, police…
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Minor International Chairman calls for major overhaul of Thailand’s ASQ
Minor International’s outspoken Chairman, Bill Heinecke, has penned an open letter to Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul. The thrust of the letter is that the current ASQ and general quarantine requirements and restrictions, is making any recovery of the country’s tourism and hospitality industry. Minor hotels have already serviced 2,500 guest as part of the Thai government’s Alternative State…
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Burmese truck driver tests positive for Covid in Tak province
A Burmese truck driver has tested positive for Covid-19 in Thailand’s northwestern province of Tak. The driver and his assistant arrived yesterday at a market in the Thai province’s Mae Sot district, to purchase goods to deliver to clients in the Myawaddi Township, just over the border in Myanmar. The Myawaddi governor says the driver was taken to a hospital…
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6 new cases of Covid-19 in Thailand, only 1 displaying symptoms
Thailand has announced 6 new cases of Covid-19 today, with only one person showing symptoms, according to the CCSA. 2 Thais and 4 foreigners make up the positive diagnoses, raising the total number of cases confirmed in the kingdom to 3,634. The 1st case was a 57 year old Japanese employee from his home country who arrived on September 26…
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Progressive Movement party to recruit 32 local candidates for December local elections
The Progressive Movement (code for “the-new-Future-Forward-party”), says it will recruit 32 local candidates for the upcoming December elections. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the movement’s leader, and former Future Forward Party MP, says more provinces could be added later to the Provincial Administrative Organisation election. The party will use the slogan “Changing Thailand starts at home” for its campaign. The Move Forward Party…
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Is it time for Thailand to restart its tourist industry? – SURVEY
It’s been 10 months since the first murmurings of a novel coronavirus emerged in China. Since then there’s been an unprecedented effort to control or contain the disease by governments around the world – some more successful in their efforts than others. Covid-19 has also had more words written about it, more conspiracy theories and more debate than any other…
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“Low-risk” tourists could see quarantine period cut in half upon arrival
Low-risk tourists entering Thailand under the Special Tourist Visa could see mandatory quarantine period cut in half down to 7 days, according to the Public Health Ministry. Tanarak Plipat, the deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control under the ministry says the current quarantine system, however, must be “redesigned” if such measures are in place. “Seven-day quarantine is possible…
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Phuket police to use hospital blood tests to confirm drivers’ alcohol levels
Phuket police are using hospital blood tests to confirm drivers’ alcohol levels after the national police chief suspended checkpoints due to “transparency issues”. Arayapan Pukbuakhao, the island’s police deputy commander, is warning that police will continue to arrest and charge drink drivers despite the absence of roadside tests. All roadside blood alcohol checkpoints were cancelled last weekend through to October…
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Thai woman arrested for offering fake visa services to hundreds of migrant workers
A 45 year old Thai woman has been arrested after offering fake visa services 10 hundreds of migrant workers, valued about 7 million baht. The woman, Wassana Wongkhamjan, was arrested at her house where police found around 40 passports and receipts inside. The house was the registered address of KPS Management Company. Wassana denied the public fraud charge saying she…
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Koh Chang hotel agrees to drop charges against American “if he issues public apology over his bad reviews”
A Koh Chang hotel has agreed to drop charges against an American if he issues a public apology over his bad TripAdvisor reviews. The American, Wesley Barnes, has agreed to the conditions put forward by Sea View Resort in exchange for avoiding up to 100,000 baht in fines and a possible jail time of up to 5 years. The hotel…
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Thailand News Today | Army v Twitter, Tourism interrupted, Thailand World’s #6 | October 9
Clerk calls out Thai Army for alleged corruption An army clerk is calling out the Thai Army for alleged corruption, saying he was forced to withdraw money under his name which was then falsely documented as a travel expense. The clerk at the army’s Ordnance Material Rebuild Centre posted photos of documents on Facebook, showing the withdrawal listed as a…
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Cyber policy report: Royal Thai Army recruited Twitter to “cheerlead”
The Royal Thai Army used Twitter to “cheerlead” for the Army, criticise the Future Forward Party and neutralise criticism after February’s mass shooting where an Army soldier killed 30 people and injured 57 others, according to a cyber policy report. Twitter announced 926 accounts, linked to the Royal Thai Army, have now been suspended for violating the company’s “platform manipulation”…
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The myth of native English speaking teachers in Thailand – OPINION
OPINION from guest writer Dr. Mariano Carrera There is a myth in Thailand that one must learn English from a native speaker. Propagating this myth are the many beneficiaries of the practice, which does not include learners. Ignoring research that shows to learn English, one does not need a native English speaker (NES) only emphasises the myth-makers dominance. After all,…
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Twitter takes down 926 accounts linked to the Royal Thai Army
Twitter suspended 926 accounts that are linked to the Royal Thai Army for violating the social media company’s “platform manipulation” policies. They say the accounts were “amplifying pro-government propaganda” and engaging in behaviour that targeted political opposition figures. Altogether, Twitter permanently suspended 1,594 accounts from state-linked operations in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Thailand and Russia, the company announced yesterday. Thailand…
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Economic think tank says shopping stimulus will only help in the short-term
The research division of Kasikorn Bank says while the government’s planned shopping stimulus has its advantages, the benefits will only be short-term. The Kasikorn Research Centre points out that the scheme, which it’s hoped will run from October 23 to December 31, will only provide a temporary boost to the economy. The stimulus measure, which is being put to the…
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Condé Nast Traveller ranks Thailand in Top 20 Best Countries in the World
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is delighted to announce that Thailand has ranked #7 in a ranking of the Top 20 Countries in the World by readers of Condé Nast Traveller in the 33rd Readers’ Choice Awards 2020. Some of Thailand’s most popular locations also scored well in the prestigious listing. Italy, Sri Lanka and Portugal scored the top 3…
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