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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Bank of Thailand takes action to curb Thai baht’s strength
The Bank of Thailand has moved forward measures, originally meant to begin early 2021, but most of which will now take effect from end of this month. The end result is that the new rules will make it easier for Thais to shuffle money overseas and invest in foreign assets. It will also make is easier for Thai citizens to…
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Mother travels to Pattaya to desperately search for her missing daughter
50 year old Chanapa Yuthiya has travelled from Chaiyaphum province to Pattaya, over 400 kilometres, to desperately search for her missing daughter. The grandmother has taken her 7 month old granddaughter along, after she says her daughter has been out of touch and unable to be reached since November 17. Chanapa filed a complaint to Pattaya City police last Thursday…
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Chief ASEAN economist says protests not helping Thailand’s weak economy recover
Chief ASEAN economist of Nomura, Euben Paracuelles, says Thailand’s current protests are not helping Thailand’s weak economy recover. In fact, Pracuelles says Thailand’s economy is the weakest and slowest in the region, noting that it is in “pretty bad shape”. He further says that the last thing the kingdom needs is something to weaken its recovery and that the current…
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Protest leaders threaten to escalate if authorities interfere with upcoming rally
Protest leaders of The Ratsadon (People’s Movement) group are threatening to escalate the rallies if authorities interfere with an upcoming rally at the Crown Property Bureau in Bangkok this Wednesday. The anti-government group named Dao Din, which is part of the wider Ratsadon group, has voiced its opposition to parliament’s rejection of the charter amendment bill proposed by iLaw, a…
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Police confirm over 30 protesters from both sides face criminal charges
The deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau has confirmed that charges will be brought against 31 people from both pro and anti-establishment groups, following protests in Bangkok earlier this week. Piya Tawichai says 14 people face charges for offences committed in the area of the Parliament building last Tuesday, while a further 17 are being charged for crimes committed…
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PM won’t rule out lèse majesté charges for protesters
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has implied in a media address that anti-government protesters may face lèse majesté charges. He has previously threatened to use the full force of the law against pro-democracy activists and was responding to questions from reporters about whether this included the section on lèse majesté. “It is among all those laws. Do you understand the term all…
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The Thai tourism new normal, learning to live with the pandemic
OPINION by Julian Spindler Thailand’s world-class tourism industry, one of the twin drivers of our economy, is in a deep, coronavirus-induced coma, close to death. No life support is currently available. Pandemic paranoia has gripped the nation, freezing our bio-security risk management in full containment mode, meaning zero tolerance for local Covid-19 transmission. The socio-economic, and some might add political, impacts…
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Thailand News Today | Bangkok exodus, Pattaya air pollution, Vaccine next month? | November 20
Last day of the week, and the second day of official public holidays in Thailand. We’ll be back on Monday with another Thailand News Today. Over 5 million escape Bangkok by car and public transport as holiday begins The Transport Ministry says just under 5.3 million Bangkok residents have left the capital as the long holiday gets underway. Not bad…
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Ministry of Finance proposes extension to shopping stimulus scheme
The Ministry of Finance is proposing to get Thais to shop the country out of recession. They’ve proposed an extension to the shopping co-payment scheme, Khon La Khrueng (Let’s Go Halves), first introduced last month. The scheme aims to encourage spending by offering Thai shoppers discounts of up to 150 baht a day at participating stores, to a maximum of…
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TAT aiming for 70 million domestic trips by year end, planning more incentives for 2021
The glass is half-full for the Tourism Authority of Thailand as it predicts domestic tourism during the last 2 months of the year will result in 70 million trips undertaken in 2020. Kritsana Kaewthamrong, deputy governor for domestic marketing, says additional public holidays, coupled with discounts on flights and hotels, should mean travel figures will exceed those of preceding months.…
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PM threatens protesters with full force of the law if unrest continues to escalate
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned pro-democracy protesters that they face the full force of the law if ongoing political rallies continue to escalate. On Tuesday, thousands of anti-government protesters gathered outside the Parliament building, where MPs and senators were voting on draft amendments to the constitution. A draft submitted by human rights group iLaw, with the backing of 100,000…
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Man wearing pink raincoat wanted on suspicion of firing shots at Bangkok rally
The Metropolitan Police Bureau in Bangkok are hunting a man they suspect of firing gun shots at Tuesday’s rally outside the Parliament building. The Bangkok Post reports that the man was wearing a pink raincoat and a photo shows him pointing what appears to be a gun at protesters. The Erawan Medical Centre in the capital reported that it had…
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Thailand News Today | Protests to escalate, Domestic violence, Tourist visa exemptions? | Nov 19
Just a reminder that it is still safe to travel to Thailand. The protests are in very small pockets around Bangkok and well publicised in advance. If you can, and are prepared to go through all the hoops and paperwork, it’s still a great place to visit. Bangkok police blame insufficient manpower for failure to control Parliament road clashes Police…
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5 injured in Chiang Mai collision after driver falls asleep at the wheel – VIDEO
5 passengers in a public transport vehicle have been injured after a pickup driver fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into them. Nation Thailand reports that the collision occurred on San Kampaeng Road in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Rescue workers had to use specialist equipment to free the passengers, who were trapped in the bus. They managed…
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Red shirt leader says self-serving government has no interest in protecting the Monarchy
A leading government critic from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship has slammed what he calls the government’s insincere claims of protecting the Monarchy. Red-shirt Jatuporn Prompan says the administration of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is only out to protect itself and cling onto power. He says yesterday’s rejection in Parliament of the draft charter amendment submitted by rights group…
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Apirat Kongsompong appointed deputy director of Crown Property Bureau
His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn has appointed former army chief Apirat Kongsompong and ardent royalist as deputy director of the Crown Property Bureau. The Bangkok Post reports that Apirat‘s appointment has been announced in the Royal Gazette and is effective immediately. The Crown Property Bureau is the quasi-government agency responsible for managing the property of the Monarchy of Thailand. The bureau…
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Domestic violence on the rise amid falling incomes and rising alcohol consumption
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation says the Covid-19 pandemic may be causing a spike in domestic violence, as incomes fall, debt rises, and more people turn to alcohol. The foundation claims incidents of domestic abuse have risen by 66% since March, when Covid restrictions were introduced. The Bangkok Post reports that the biggest rise is in the south of the…
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Police threaten protesters with legal action following Tuesday’s Parliament rally
The Metropolitan Police Bureau is threatening to charge activists involved in Tuesday’s rally outside the Parliament building in Bangkok. At least 55 people were injured when violence broke out between rival protest groups and police. Piya Tawichai, from the MPB, says that, of the 4 groups outside the building, only 3 had applied for permission to hold a rally, including…
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Anti-government activists condemn rejection of iLaw draft, vow to fight on
Protests are set to continue following Parliament’s decision yesterday to reject a draft charter amendment submitted by human rights non-profit group iLaw, with the backing of over 100,000 signatures. Protest leader Jatupat Boonpattarasaksa says the rejection, which happened after the first reading of the bill, has left activists with no choice other than to continue the protests. He added that…
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Protests kick off again after parliament reject iLaw amendment to Thai Charter
The proposal put forward by iLaw, the only one not proposed by MPs and supported by nearly 100,000 signatures, has been rejected by parliament to be included in discussions for constitutional amendments. It’s set up another afternoon and evening of protests, this time being staged around the Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok. Thousands of protesters have already gathered shouting “f**k…
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Thai PM extends Emergency Decree to January next year
The government will extend a nationwide emergency decree until at least January 15 next year. The PM has cited the need to prevent a resurgence in coronavirus infections during the peak New Year’s travel period. The impasse with protesters was not brought up as a reason to extend the current Emergency Decree. The CCSA chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has…
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Morphine, cocaine, opium, to be legalised for medical use in Thailand
Thailand is set to decriminalise 102 drugs, including morphine, opium, and cocaine, for medical use and research purposes. A proclamation in the Royal Gazette declares that, from July 2021, the substances may be sold or used in very specific, limited circumstances. The drugs are classified as category 2 under Thailand’s Narcotics Act and also include fentanyl and codeine. That’s what…
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55 people injured in clashes at Bangkok protests
The Erawan Emergency Medical Service Centre in Bangkok says around 55 people have been injured following clashes during yesterday’s protests in the capital. Violence erupted as pro-democracy activists attempting to reach the Parliament building, clashed with police and rival yellow-shirt pro-establishment groups. A spokesperson for the medical centre says 32 people have been injured by tear gas, which police used…
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Finally! TAT partners with hotels, airlines, to offer travel stimulus package for expats
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is partnering with airlines and over 300 hotels around the country in another domestic tourism stimulus scheme, this time aimed at expats. It’s understood all foreigners and their families, living in the Kingdom, are eligible to avail of the scheme. The “Expat Travel Bonus” offers a 1,000 baht per night discount on hotel accommodation at…
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Thai government earmarks 6 billion baht for 26 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine
The Thai Cabinet is to put aside over 6 billion baht to procure 26 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca, in conjunction with researchers at Oxford University in the UK. Nation Thailand reports that the National Vaccine Institute will be given 2.38 billion baht to reproduce the vaccine, in an effort to reduce the cost from…
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Thai law to be amended to allow for abortion up to 12 weeks
The Thai Cabinet has approved an amendment to the country’s laws that will permit abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek confirmed the amendment in a press statement yesterday. “The cabinet has approved to amend the law of abortion in the Thailand Criminal Code, Section 301, for women who are not more than 12…
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Human rights group iLaw calls on Parliament to approve draft charter amendment
The director of iLaw, a Thai human rights non-profit group, is calling on Parliament to approve its charter amendment bill. Jon Ungphakorn made the call as MPs and senators meet for a second day to vote on 7 draft charter amendments. The amendment submitted by iLaw is the only one not submitted by the government and opposition MPs. Yesterday, protesters…
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A round-up of events in Bangkok yesterday as protests turn ugly
As various protest groups, both pro and anti-establishment, gathered near the Parliament building in Bangkok yesterday, tensions were high, and things eventually turned ugly. By mid-afternoon, as pro-democracy activists tried to reach the Parliament building where a debate on draft charter amendments was taking place, police resorted to a combination of tear gas and water cannons laced with chemicals to…
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Man gets caught in crossfire in rival gang clash, grenade explodes in his hand
As rival gangs exchanged gunfire at a Chanthaburi province fruit market, a man tried to break up the fight by holding up a grenade and threatening to use it. The plan backfired. 34 year old Thammarat Suntorn was shot multiple times in the crossfire and the grenade ended up exploding in his hand. Thammarat was severely injured with several gunshot…
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Thailand News Today | Protesters v Police, Quarantine reduction, VietJet passenger arrest | Nov 17
A busy day of news with the protests underway as we were preparing today’s program. We will keep you up to date with the latest at thethaiger.com Police use tear gas and water cannons against protesters outside Thai parliament this afternoon Police in riot gear and gas masks have deployed water cannons and tear gas on protesters out the front…
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