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.
-
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...
-
Weather warning issued as tropical storm Dianmu approaches
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning for the North, Northeast, East and Central regions, as it monitors tropical storm Dianmu, which is expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression. The TMD says the storm made landfall over the central Vietnamese province of Quang this morning and is about 260 kilometres southeast of Amnat Charoen province, in north-east…
-
Education ministry to accelerate vaccination of over 200,000 teachers
All vocational and secondary school students should be fully vaccinated by November 15 and the vaccination of 210,000 teachers is being accelerated ahead of schools re-opening. So says Suphat Champatong from the Education Ministry, adding that the government has taken delivery of 3 vaccine types – viral vector, live attenuated, and inactivated. In a Bangkok Post report, Suphat says the…
-
Tourism operators slam government as re-opening postponed to November
Tourism operators have expressed frustration as Thailand’s re-opening is pushed back a month, primarily due to inadequate vaccination levels. The re-opening of Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, and Phetchaburi has been postponed from October 1 to November 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, this is the third time the re-opening of Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Hua Hin…
-
Friday Covid Update: 12,697 new cases and 132 deaths
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 12,697 new Covid-19 cases and 132 coronavirus-related deaths. In Thailand’s latest wave of the virus, which was first recorded on April 1, the CCSA has reported a total of 1,508,447 confirmed Covid-19 infections. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA reported 13,540 recoveries. There are now 127,392 patients in…
-
Anutin: US donation offer of 1 million vaccines never received
Apparently citing chain of command technicalities, Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul denied a report that Thailand didn’t respond to the US offering a donation of 1 million free Pfizer vaccines. He said no official formal notice of an offer to donate vaccines was received by his ministry. Anutin explained that the chain of command for vaccine donations involves the…
-
Quarantine shortening proposed for certain situations
In an attempt to boost the economy, the National Communicable Disease Committee is proposing a shortening of quarantine periods for travellers under certain circumstances. The proposal was made in a meeting today of the committee with Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul chairing the meeting and vowing to pass on the plan to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The…
-
PM Prayut announces a 5-point plan for the future economy
In an online meeting hosted by the National Economic and Social Development Council, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced his intention to revise Thailand’s economic and production outlook and methods. The plan looks towards future trends and the increasingly ubiquitous digital economy and aims to get Thailand in line for growing the economy now and in new sectors. The goals would…
-
Khon Kaen restaurant busted for allegedly serving alcohol
Another venue, this time in northeastern Thailand’s Khon Kaen province, has been busted for allegedly selling customers alcohol. The restaurant tried to hide the fact that they were serving alcohol but proved no match for the officials that raided the eatery, yesterday. The unnamed restaurant, which is somewhere close to the Khon Kaen University, was raided by police and soldiers.…
-
Cyclist unable to take steep hill plunges to his death in Chiang Mai ravine
A cyclist riding in Chiang Mai, a northern Thai province, was unable to steer his bike down a downhill road yesterday morning and plummeted about 30 metres down a ravine to his death. Police learned of the incident, which occurred on a steep section of the Mae Rim-Mae Sai tourist road in front of the Pongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline…
-
Thursday Covid Update: 13,256 new cases; provincial totals
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 131 coronavirus-related deaths and 13,256 new Covid-19 cases today. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,829 recoveries. There are now 128,367 patients being treated for Covid-19. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 1,524,613 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 15,884 coronavirus-related fatalities. The…
-
5 police kiosks set on fire in Bangkok, no injuries reported
At least 5 police kiosks were set ablaze early this morning in Bangkok. The Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the fires. Police discovered the kiosks had been set on fire sometime during last night’s curfew. The Central Police Forensic Division sent teams to the various kiosks, which had already had their fires put out…
-
Decision on Hua Hin Hospital “dual pricing” case set for next week
Next week, Thai authorities will announce the outcome of the highly anticipated “dual pricing” case where a Dutch expat claims he was overcharged for his cancer treatment at Hua Hin Hospital. Erwin Buse, who filed the anti-discrimination suit two years ago, told ASEAN Now that the case was officially handed over to judges this week and a decision on the case…
-
Amended communicable disease law includes powers to retain curfew, order lockdowns
As the government prepares to debate the future of the emergency decree, set to expire next Thursday, a new legal amendment means some of its powers could remain. The Bangkok Post reports that the amended Communicable Disease Act gives officials the power to retain the current curfew and to impose new lockdowns. The government says the law will be used…
-
Thursday Covid Update: 131 deaths and 13,256 new cases
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation reported 13,256 new Covid-19 cases and 131 deaths. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 1,495,750 Covid-19 infections. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,829 recoveries. There are now 128,367 patients being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases,…
-
Ex-cop “Joe Ferrari,” other officers charged with violating discipline policy over suspect’s death
Along with criminal charges for allegedly suffocating a suspect to death in an attempt to extort 2 million baht, the former police station chief in Nakhon Sawan, Thitisan Utthanaphon, and six of his subordinates now face charges for committing disciplinary offenses while on duty. The Police Serious Disciplinary Review Board filed the complaint against the seven officers. According to Nation Thailand,…
-
5 Pattani men arrested for allegedly posing as police officers to extort locals
5 men who were posing as police officers in southern Thailand’s Pattani province were arrested yesterday. The suspects allegedly extorted drug-taking residents or teenagers out of money or property. The Yaring police were alerted that men were portraying themselves as members of the Yaring police at a village in the Laem Pho Subdistrict. The Nation Thailand says the men dressed…
-
Thai woman tricked into human trafficking in Dubai brought home safely
A Thai woman who had been tricked into being a sex worker in Dubai, a city on the Persian Gulf Coast of the United Arab Emirates, returned safely to Thailand, today. The woman was able to send a video message through Facebook on Sunday where she pleaded for help. She says she had been deceived by an advertisement looking for…
-
Alleged cable thief busted in Phuket, accomplice possibly still at large
A Phuket man was arrested recently after he allegedly stole telephone and communications cables throughout the island. The man allegedly sold the cables for scrap near his house in Phang Nga. Wichit police and members of the Crime Suppression Region 5 and officials from the TOT company showed up at Chaturong Bhumlamnao’s house to arrest him. The TOT had previously…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 11,252 new cases; provincial totals
141 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 15,753 with 15,659 of those fatalities during the recent wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA reported 11,252 new Covid-19 cases and 13,695 recoveries. There are now 129,071…
-
Kanchanaburi temple that served as a rehab closes amidst shocking abuse allegations
A Thai temple in western Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province, “Wat Tha Phu Rat Bamrung” also known as “Wat Tha Phu”, which also serves as drug rehab, has been ordered closed following allegations of ransom, torture, and the abuse of human rights. Due to the startling allegations, the temple is being investigated by the Narcotics Control Board and the Public Health Ministry.…
-
Manhunt underway for foreigner who allegedly prepared bread using his feet
A manhunt is underway by the Immigration Bureau after a video surfaced of a man, believed to be a foreigner, who allegedly used his feet to prepare bread for packaging. The video was supplied to the IB and they responded that they will search for the suspect. It was not clear what charges the man may face for his foot…
-
Army provides food for the Rawai Sea gypsy community
The Royal Thai Army has set up a food kitchen for the Rawai sea gypsies as the community has been in lockdown since September 15. The lockdown will remain in place until September 28. The Royal Field Kitchen Car has been cooking and handing out food for almost 2 weeks now. They have travelled all over the island to bring…
-
Governor announces restrictions on Phuket Vegetarian Festival
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival will be scaled down and under tight restrictions this year to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The weeklong festival, where some practice self-mutilation to connect with the spirit world, draws tourists from across the country, and the world. The Phuket governor announced that this year’s festival from October 5 to 15 will have restrictions on the…
-
Former deputy attorney-general to be investigated over serious wrongdoings in Red Bull hit-and-run case
An investigation is to take place into alleged serious transgressions by a former deputy attorney-general involved in the 2012 hit-and-run case against Vorayuth Yoovidhya. Nate Naksuk is to be investigated over his decision to drop the charges against the Red Bull heir, who is accused of killing a Bangkok policeman in the hit-and-run incident. The Bangkok Post reports that the…
-
5 provinces may delay reopening until November, Chiang Mai cautious
Despite some local leaders pushing hard and claiming readiness to reopen on October 1, several or all of the 5 provinces scheduled to reopen may be delayed until November 1, with Chiang Mai especially cautious about reopening. The deputy director for communications and marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand pointed out that the reopening plan can only go ahead in provinces…
-
Industry body says Thai government must borrow another 1 trillion baht
The chairman of The Federation of Thai Industries is calling on the government to borrow another 1 trillion baht to kick-start the economy in 2022. Supant Mongkolsuthree says the extra funds are desperately needed to boost an economy devastated by the fallout from the pandemic. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says the government’s borrowing of 500 billion baht…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 141 deaths and 11,252 new cases
Today, 11,252 new Covid-19 cases and 141 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April, in the most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, 1,482,494 people have tested positive for Covid-19. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 13,695 recoveries. There are now 129,071 people being treated for Covid-19.…
-
FDA passes on using Sinopharm vaccine for children over 3 years old
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration has denied Sinopharm’s request to administer Covid vaccinations to children over 3 years old. The FDA cited a lack of data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Dr Paisan Dankhum, the Deputy Secretary General of the FDA, says the FDA committee and experts across many agencies had discussed the safety and effectiveness of…
-
Travel data to Thailand for 106 million people unprotected online
106 million visitors to Thailand over the last 10 years were discovered to have had their personal information unsecured online. Comparitech, a cyber security firm that discovered the database, revealed that the data has been unprotected online without any password protection possibly for the last decade. The unprotected data included people’s full names, passport numbers, gender, residency status, date they…
-
Soldier allegedly assaults neighbours following horn honking
A soldier in Nonthaburi, a central Thai province, allegedly assaulted his neighbours at their home because one of the victims had honked his motorbike’s horn to let his wife know he was home. The victims, 39 year old Piamsuk Bunruang and 42 year old Alisa Choksinsombun filed a police report yesterday following the attack. Thai Residents says the soldier punched…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.