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 What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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Thai AirAsia predicts 90% post-pandemic recovery
Thai AirAsia is predicting a great year next year, forecasting passenger load to reach 90% of the levels it was at before the Covid-19 pandemic. The rosy outlook was stated as foreign arrivals have been pouring into Thailand. The popular budget airline also has faith that the mega-demographic of Chinese tourists will be able to rejoin the tourism world next…
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Sailor floating in Gulf of Thailand for 60 hours rescued by navy
The Royal Thai Navy found another HTMS Sukhothai crew member alive floating near Koh Talu in the Gulf of Thailand this afternoon, reports ThaiRath. The sailor drifted in the sea amid high waves and strong winds for 60 hours after the warship sank, 19 nautical miles off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, on Sunday night. Navy vessel HTMS…
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DTAM to cannabis vendors: New Year’s weed parties illegal
For those who were planning a more mellow New Year’s Eve celebration, lighting up a joint and saying goodbye to 2022, the government has a strong warning for you. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) cautioned cannabis vendors not to take part in or organise New Year’s Eve smoke parties. The Ministry of Public Health says that…
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Alcohol banned from festive gift baskets in Thailand
Pre-made gift baskets are a hit in Thailand for all special occasions and are especially popular around the Christmas and New Year holidays. But the Ministry of Commerce would like to remind the country’s merchants that selling alcohol as part of a gift set is against the law in Thailand. Anyone who fails to comply with the law will face…
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Motorbike driver killed by bus after skidding on oil stain in Bangkok
A motorist fell from his motorbike after skidding on an oil stain on Bangkok‘s busy Sukhumvit Road yesterday morning. He was struck and killed by an oncoming public bus. The man, whose identity has not been reported, was hit by public bus No.98 from Huai Kwang to Bang Na near the entrance of Sukhumvit Soi 53 and Thong Lor BTS…
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Thai taxi drivers receive record amount of complaints
The Department of Land Transport received 93,474 complaints about public transport in Thailand this year. Taxi drivers were complained about the most, receiving an impressive 14,158 complaints. Most of the complaints were about bad manners, dangerous driving, refusing passengers, illegal licenses, and illicit taxi metres. Between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022, the department’s Passenger Protection and Complaint Centre…
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Thai wildlife workers rush to aid stressed elephant rescued from smugglers
Thai wildlife workers are rushing to aid a highly stressed elephant rescued from smugglers. Border police and national park officials caught two smugglers in the Huay Yang district in the western Prachuap Khiri Khan province on Sunday. The authorities arrested the two men. They are identified as 28 year old Thai national Phongsak Huakaew, and 28 year old Myanmar national…
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Drivers switch places in moving bus in western Thailand, 11 tourists injured
Ten foreign tourists and one Thai passenger were injured in a bus crash in Phetchaburi province in western Thailand at around 3am yesterday. Two drivers tried to switch seats while the vehicle was still moving, causing the bus to crash into a power pole, they admitted to the police. The white tour bus, travelling from Surat Thani to Bangkok, was carrying…
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Navy ship sinks in Thailand: ‘There weren’t enough life jackets on board’
In a race against time, the Royal Thai Navy continues their search today for missing crew members from the HTMS Sukhothai which sank off the coast of Thailand on Sunday night. So far, the navy’s HTMS Kraburi has brought ashore the bodies of six crew members found floating in the sea. The navy is still searching for 23 missing sailors.…
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Digital Homecare Platform SAIJAI Unveils “Hospitality Staffing” Solution for Hotels as Industry Grapples with Severe Manpower Crisis
Thai hospitality industry struggles to find workers to fill 1.45 million jobs lost during the pandemic with many unwilling to return to the industry BANGKOK The pandemic changed everything. It has been an accelerator but also a major change-maker for Thai service workers retrenched or “paused” during the three-years Covid crippled Thailand’s hospitality industry. Many who left the sector are…
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What $150,000 buys you for a 2 bedroom condo in Bangkok
If you are looking for what $150,000 buys you for a 2-bedroom condo in Bangkok, you have come to the perfect place! For those looking for an affordable place to live, finding a two-bedroom condo at $150,000 in Bangkok is certainly possible. With a growing number of condominiums available in the city, and with many of them offering competitive prices,…
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Navy ship sinks in Gulf of Thailand: 77 rescued, 4 dead, 24 missing
UPDATE 4 In a press release this afternoon, the Royal Thai Navy reported the results of their continued search for missing sailors from the HTMS Sukhothai which sank in the Gulf of Thailand on Sunday. On Sunday night, 75 crew members were rescued from the sinking ship. Navy vessels have since found two more sailors alive in the Gulf of…
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Burmese workers in Bangkok protest for 600 baht minimum wage
Burmese migrants rallied in Bangkok yesterday, on International Migrants Day, to ask the government to increase the minimum wage to 600 baht per day and care about the rights of migrant workers in Thailand. More than 100 Burmese citizens under the group name “Bright Future” gathered outside the Embassy of Myanmar near Saint Louis BTS Station at 2pm. Burmese migrants…
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Thai man reportedly intoxicated injures Russian motorcyclist in Pattaya crash
A reportedly intoxicated Thai man severely injured a Russian motorcyclist in a crash in Pattaya early this morning. Rescuers arrived at the scene on Soi Jomtien 11 to find the Russian man severely injured and bleeding. The rescuers found the man’s motorcycle nearby. They rushed him to the nearest hospital. The rescuers found the Thai pickup truck driver, 34 year…
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Man allegedly strangles ex-wife and dumps her body on roadside in northeast Thailand
A Thai man allegedly strangled his ex-wife to death before dumping her body on the side of the road in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand last night. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest. The body of 36 year old Jib was found on the roadside in Kaeng Khro District early this morning. Police say it was clear she…
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Anutin promises no 4am curfew; Tourism Ministry suggests Bangla Road trial
The chances of a 4am national nightlife curfew are looking dim. Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul says his ministry strongly opposes the measure. Meanwhile, proponent Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn has reduced his campaign from a nationwide extension to just making Bangla Road in Phuket a pilot area for the 4am curfew. The Ministry of Tourism had…
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New restaurants in Phuket to try this December 2022
If you’re looking for a new, high-end restaurant to try in Phuket this December, then look no further! From cosy beach-side eateries to grand, five-star restaurants, Phuket has it all. We’ve rounded up some of the best restaurants in the city that are sure to tantalise your taste buds and make your culinary experience in Phuket even more memorable. From…
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Dining carriages and catering trolleys return to Thai trains
Dining carriages and catering trolleys are back in service on Thailand’s trains after a two-year hiatus, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The SRT suspended all food and drink services in April 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Certain busy routes stop running completely to prevent outbreaks of the virus. However, Thailand is slowly but surely moving…
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Navy rescues German man with heart failure from cruise ship in Gulf of Thailand
Officers from the Royal Thai Navy battled against strong waves to help a German man who suffered from heart failure on a cruise ship in Thailand‘s waters last night. The MEIN SCHIFF 5 cruise ship departed from Chon Buri province and was headed for Singapore when 73 year old passenger Bernd Joachim Max Thiele, of German nationality, fell unwell about…
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Thailand tops BBC poll for Southeast Asia travel
A recent BBC poll saw Thailand on the top of the list of most desired destinations to travel to in Southeast Asia. BBC News conducted a poll of people planning a trip from Europe and North America to Southeast Asia in July. Thailand topped the list with 57.4% of people responding that they would be likely to visit the kingdom.…
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Thailand to open all land border crossings next year
Thailand is planning to open all land border crossings with neighbouring countries next year. The move is reportedly part of an effort to facilitate the transportation of goods to help restart one aspect of the economy. The Department of Foreign Trade says it will negotiate with Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Malaysia to reopen all 97 land borders and hold trade…
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Body and 9 sailors found alive by oil tanker are not from HTMS Sukhothai, says navy
UPDATE 2 The Royal Thai Navy says the nine sailors found alive and one dead body discovered by an oil tanker in the Gulf of Thailand are not crew members from the HTMS Sukhothai which sank off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province last night as widely reported in Thai media. At least four boats sank in Thailand’s waters…
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Pheu Thai Party wants to reform tourism, cut red tape
The Pheu Thai Party is calling for reform of the way Thailand approaches tourism, though its focus seems to be the same as the ruling party’s. The opposition party held a brainstorming session on Friday to discuss how to improve tourism in Thailand. They stressed branching out and eliminating outdated red tape, but also put their hope squarely on medical…
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Blaze damages Bangkok luxury condominium
A blaze damaged a luxury condominium in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok this afternoon. The fire damaged a unit on the 40th floor of the 42-floor Saichol Mansion B, located in Bangkok’s Klong San district. Officials evacuated over 100 residents from the building, while firefighters worked for about 15 minutes to put out the blaze. Luckily, no casualties were reported. Police…
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Builder discovers corpse inside water tank in Bangkok, Thailand
Police are launching a murder investigation after a builder discovered a corpse stuffed into a water tank at a disused building in Bangkok this morning. Doctors estimate that the deceased died six months ago. At 10:10am, officers from Bangkok’s Hua Mak Police Station travelled to a four-storey building in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 1 in Suan Luang district to investigate the discovery of…
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Phuket pickup truck accident injures three people in front of school
A Phuket truck accident injured three people in front of a school on Thursday. A pickup truck overturned and crashed into another pickup truck in front of Thai Rath Wittaya School on Wichit Songkram Road in Kathu district. CCTV footage of the incident found that the driver of a black pickup truck lost control at a curve before overturning and…
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Navy ship sinks in the Gulf of Thailand, 84 rescued, 1 dead, 21 missing
False information in this story has been updated. In total, 84 members of the Royal Thai Navy have been rescued from the Gulf of Thailand after the HTMS Sukhothai navy vessel sank to the bottom of the sea last night amid rough conditions. One body has been recovered and 21 crew members are still missing. As of noon today, the…
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Body of Canadian man washes up on beach in southern Thailand
The body of a 63 year old Canadian man washed up on a beach on the mainland of Surat Thani province in southern Thailand yesterday evening. He went missing from Koh Pha Ngan island six days ago. At 8pm, officers from Khanom Police Station rushed to Khanom Beach after a decaying body was discovered on the shore in front of the…
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Best Christmas Movies, Ever!
The Thaiger is following up on the success of its Best Christmas Singles, Ever! This time the team selected its favourite Christmas movies. With so many films to choose from many readers may disagree with our choices and be disappointed to discover that their favourite Xmas flick is missing from the list. But it’s always a great topic to debate…
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Free tune-up offered for all vehicles before New Year’s Eve
Thailand is trying a new angle to increase road safety during the upcoming busy New Year’s holiday. Before people climb into their cars and make long-distance journeys they might not normally make in their day-to-day life, the government is helping to provide free comprehensive tune-ups for all vehicles. By partnering with public and private businesses, the Land Transport Department is…
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