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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Chinese tourist arrivals in Thailand set to hit pre-pandemic levels
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced that Chinese tourist arrivals are set to reach one million a month starting from October, a figure last witnessed prior to the pandemic. The increase in travel is likely to gain momentum during winter and long national holidays. TAT has observed a rise in advanced hotel bookings and chartered flight requests, indicating…
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ASEAN at a crossroad as violence escalates in Myanmar
Southeast Asian nations are at a “crossroad”, as escalating violence in junta-controlled Myanmar threatens to overshadow a regional summit, warned Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security, Mahfud MD. The two-year-long crisis has left Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) diplomatic attempts to resolve it fruitless. Last month, an air strike on a village reportedly killed around 170 people,…
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Scoot flight horror: Technical fault sparks panic among passengers on Singapore to Bangkok route
Passengers on a Scoot flight from Singapore to Bangkok feared for their lives when a technical fault caused the aircraft to catch fire yesterday afternoon. Pictures taken by a passenger on the TR605 flight showed a plume-filled cabin. The Airbus A321 departed Bangkok at 3.56pm and was due to arrive in Singapore at 7.15pm. As a result of the technical…
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Canada expels Chinese diplomat accused of bullying Canadian lawmaker, Beijing hits back
China refuted allegations that one of its diplomats in Canada had engaged in threatening, intimidating, and bullying behaviour toward a Canadian opposition legislator and interfering in the country’s internal affairs. Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced yesterday that the Canadian government had declared Zhao Wei as “persona non grata” and ordered him to leave the country immediately, despite Beijing’s denials. She…
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Pattaya’s real estate market soars thanks to Chinese and Russian buyers
Real estate in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, is being snapped up like hotcakes thanks to Russian and Chinese buyers, according to leading real estate developer Habitat Group Co. Ltd. Chief Executive Officer of Habitat Group Chanin Vanichwong revealed today that demand for real estate in Pattaya from both Thai and foreign customers is continually growing, reports Thansettakij. Demand from the foreign…
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Bersatu dismisses claims of opposition having numbers to challenge Anwar Ibrahim
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has dismissed claims that the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition has the numbers in the Lower House to challenge Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim amidst speculation of a move to oust him from his position. According to The Star, Bersatu information chief Razali Idris noted recently that there have been claims that his party has enough…
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Thai citizens swarm truck shop owner’s son’s ordination for chance to win over US$11,000
Crowds of Thai citizens gathered at the ordination ceremony of a prominent truck body shop owner’s son, hoping to win a cash prize exceeding US$11,000 (372,000 baht). Naka, short for Warapol Pensri, is 20 years old and the son of a major truck body shop business in Thailand. The ordination ceremony took place at their residence, followed by a traditional…
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Ukrainian man arrested for working illegally on Thai island
Royal Thai Immigration Police arrested a Ukrainian man on Thursday after he was allegedly discovered working illegally for a motorbike rental company on Koh Pah Ngan island in Surat Thani province in southern Thailand. Surat Thani Immigration revealed on Sunday that they arrested an unnamed 45 year old man from Ukraine on Thursday – the same day as the Full…
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Asia-Pacific cyber-attack risks in line with global trends but high attack expectations remain for 2023
Cyber-attack risks in the Asia-Pacific region decreased to a moderate level last year, mirroring the global trend, yet a recent survey found that 78% of organisations worldwide anticipate successful attacks occurring in 2023. Jon Clay, 42 years old, vice-president of threat intelligence at multinational cybersecurity software company Trend Micro, stated that the global cyber-risk index (CRI) shifted into positive territory…
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Phuket police arrest 15 gamblers in underground casino at abandoned mall
In Phuket Town, an underground casino located in the basement of an abandoned shopping centre has been raided by police, resulting in the arrest of 15 gamblers. Officers executed the raid on Tilok-U-Thit 1 Road at approximately 10:50pm after receiving a tip-off about illegal gambling activities taking place beneath a snooker venue operating at street level. Upon entering the premises,…
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Voyeur captures Chinese students having sex behind a lorry in Wenzhou
Two Chinese students having sex behind a lorry was snapped by an opportunist voyeur in Wenzhou, a city in the southeastern province of Zhejiang, in the People’s Republic of China. Unsurprisingly, the video clip and snaps went viral on social media. The Chinese students, taking advantage of what they believed to be a hidden corner next to a lorry, thought…
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Bank of Thailand predicted to raise policy rate to 2% this month
Economists anticipate that the Bank of Thailand will raise its policy rate to a terminal level of 2% this month, following their estimation that the Federal Reserve’s funds rate has reached its peak. The research centre of TMBThanachart Bank (ttb) suggests that the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will increase the policy benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage points during…
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Thailand aims to finalise free-trade agreements with EFTA, Sri Lanka and UAE by mid-next year
Thailand is keen to finalise free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by mid-next year, with the aim to boost trade and investment. The potential FTA between Thailand and Sri Lanka is particularly appealing due to Sri Lanka’s strategic location in South Asia, with connections to India, Pakistan,…
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Chinese man leaves ER in pain, but onlookers can’t help laughing at his bandaged face
A Chinese man was left feeling both hurt and furious after he walked out of an emergency room with a bizarrely patched-up face, prompting laughter from onlookers. The man couldn’t understand why people were laughing at first, but after catching his reflection in a mirror, he came to realise his strangely startling appearance. The incident reportedly occurred at a hospital…
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Thai actress cleared of wrongdoing after buying cyanide to kill lizards
The Royal Thai Police found nothing criminal about a famous Thai actress’ online purchase of cyanide after calling her in for questioning last week, deputy national police chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn said yesterday. Preechaya “Ice” Pongthananikorn wept during an interview as she apologised for ordering cyanide without a permit on April 25 for a price of 3,132 baht –…
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Pattaya officials’ efforts to tackle city’s homeless issue show promise but lack results
Pattaya officials have demonstrated a consistent ability to sign agreements to address the city’s homeless issue, but have struggled to make substantial progress in resolving the problem. A new memorandum of understanding (MOU) is set to be signed later this month, which aims to establish a “protection system” for people living on the streets. This follows another MOU signed in…
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Russian tourist killed in motorbike crash in Phuket prompts wet road caution
Phuket rescue workers issued a warning to motorists to be cautious and reduce their speed on wet roads after a fatal motorbike accident in Kata involving a Russian man earlier today following sporadic rainfall on the island. The accident report, issued by the Ruamjai Kupai Foundation rescue service, was shared on Facebook at 3.30am. While the exact time and location…
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Englishman fights for his life after motorbike crash in Phuket, Thailand
A young Englishman is fighting for his life in the hospital after losing a significant amount of blood in a horror motorbike crash in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Monday, May 1. The tourist, 25 year old Liam Kilby from Liverpool, was on holiday in Phuket with friends when he crashed into a shopfront. After suffering blood loss and falling into…
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Singapore increases COE quota for categories A and B cars to reduce supply volatility
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has announced that it will increase the Certificates of Entitlement (COE) quota for cars in categories A and B as a one-time adjustment to reduce supply volatility. The quota will rise from 9,575 to 10,431 for the current quarter, with Category A increasing by 24% and Category B increasing by 15%. The LTA will redistribute…
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Donald Trump rejects final chance to testify in rape trial
Former United States President Donald Trump, who once claimed it was fine to “Grab ‘em (women) by the pussy,” declined his last chance to testify at a civil trial where he is accused of raping a US journalist in a luxury department store dressing room in 1996. The trial has been ongoing for two weeks, with Elizabeth Jean Carroll seeking…
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Thai business leaders’ wishlist for first 100 days under new government
Business executives are contemplating Thailand’s prospects for the first 100 days under a new administration as the election approaches. Key areas of focus for the incoming government include the appointment of suitable ministers and the prioritisation of business sector policies. Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, the 42-year-old chairman of industrial developer WHA Group, emphasises the importance of appointing knowledgeable and capable ministers to…
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Fire at electrical appliance store in Korat causes 50 million baht in damage
A fire broke out at a large electrical appliance store in downtown Korat City, situated in Nakhon Ratchasima, causing an estimated US$1.5 million worth of damage. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. The incident occurred today at the Tai Fa Universe store on Chom Surangyat Road in Mueng district. The fire was reported to have started around 7:30am. Local residents claim…
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Crafty Thai woman allegedly steals British tourist’s Rolex in Pattaya
A British man is warning tourists to keep their wits about them in Pattaya, Thailand, after he was allegedly deceived by a Thai woman who he claims stole his luxury Rolex watch worth almost 1 million baht. At 11pm yesterday, a 38 year old anonymous man of British nationality spoke to reporters about his bad experience with a Thai woman…
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Indian baby with rare case of third arm growing from her back cries when touched
A newly born baby girl at a local hospital in the northern Indian state has caused astonishment among the public as she has been born with a rare condition of a third arm protruding from the middle of her back. The phenomenon is extremely uncommon and has captured the attention of many. A video that was posted online soon after…
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Thai stocks dampened by US interest rate hike concerns
Thai stocks are projected to face a challenging investment environment in the coming month due to the potential negative impact of the recent US interest rate hike on regional US banks. Tisco Securities has expressed concerns over the situation, with Apichart Phubancherdkul, Tisco’s head of strategy research, stating that “investment conditions in May are not bright”. The US Federal Reserve…
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Departure Tax: Thailand considers charging 1000 baht to leave country
Thailand‘s Revenue Department proposed that a 1000 baht “departure tax” be charged upon Thai citizens and foreign permanent residents in a bid to prevent excessive overseas spending. The idea has been met with resistance from tourism officials. Airline passengers would be charged 1000 baht to leave the country and those exiting via land and sea would be charged 500 baht…
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At least 27 workers killed in remote Peruvian gold mine fire
In a remote region of southern Peru, a fire at the La Esperanza 1 gold mine has claimed the lives of at least 27 workers, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country’s recent history. The grieving families of the victims have congregated near the mine, anxiously waiting for updates on their loved ones. The cause of the…
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Police arrest suspect in Cabine gang related shooting of father in trang, Thailand
Police yesterday arrested Akradej Numark, who is suspected of being involved in the Cabine gang responsible for the deadly shooting of a father in Trang province earlier this year. The arrest of the 35 year old was confirmed by Crime Suppression Sub-division 6 commander, Pongpanot Chukaew. Akradej Numark, also known as Tia Carbine, was apprehended by Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police…
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Digital bank runs: How social media fuels panic and threatens financial stability
A crisis of confidence in the US banking sector has led individuals to withdraw their money from financial institutions including Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, First Republic Bank, and California-based PacWest Bancorp. This series of events has given birth to a new term in the finance lexicon: digital bank run. In contrast to traditional bank runs, where people would form…
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Ancient dinosaur footprints discovered in Phetchabun’s Nam Nao district
In Phetchabun’s Nam Nao district, a set of ancient dinosaur footprints believed to be about 225 million years old have been uncovered, according to the Department of Mineral Resources. The ancient footprints were discovered in a dried-up creek at the Huai Hin Lat rock formation, sparking interest among experts. Upon the discovery, staff from the Mineral Resources Office Region 1…
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