News
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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Thailand’s Sex Industry – A Brief History
Thailand is well known and famous for many things. Food, massages, beaches and friendly smiles… but there is one thing that is either commonly joked about or remains hush hush locally. It’s the country’s sex workers and red light districts. There is a fair share of travellers who visit Thailand specifically because they want to experience this ‘vibrant’ side of…
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Two Thai boys attempt to walk from Isaan to Phuket to visit their relatives
Or “Top and Tai’s Excellent Adventure”. Two teenage boys attempted to walk from the Isaan province of Udon Thani to Phuket in southern Thailand, a distance of some 1,450 kilometres, because they wanted to visit their relatives. The pair didn’t get very far. When they were spotted walking along the road in Udon Thani, they were sent back home for…
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A piece of ceiling at Phuket airport falls, one passenger sent to hospital
An aluminium ‘bar’ from Phuket Airport’s domestic terminal ceiling has fallen to the floor, just avoiding hitting a female passenger standing nearby. No injuries were reported, but the woman was in shock and fainted. Ceiling structures at Thailand’s airports have suffered from ‘gravity’ over the past few weeks. Yesterday, at 11.20 am, officials at Phuket airport’s domestic terminal were notified…
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Museum Siam launches Ukraine exhibition and Ukrainian language audio guide
Museum Siam in Bangkok will hold a photography exhibition entitled “Diverse Ukraine” to showcase Ukraine’s diverse national costumes from May 9 – May 29. The museum has also launched a Ukrainian language audio guide for their longstanding “Decoding Thainess” exhibition which explores what it means to be “Thai,” giving Ukrainian tourists the opportunity to learn about Thailand’s history, culture and…
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UPDATE: Royal Thai Navy and Air Force join Lazada ban
Yes, the Lazada-gate fiasco rolls on. Following yesterday’s report that Lazada was banned from entering Royal Thai Army bases, the unit later launched an “emergency announcement” warning of penalties to anyone who violates the ban. Now the Royal Thai Navy and Air Force have also joined the boycott, stating that a zero-tolerance policy “will be considered” as Lazada ads “could…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 6,230 new cases; provincial totals
53 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,196 with 7,498 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,230 new Covid-19 cases and 11,132 recoveries. There are now 80,002 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Suspected insurgent dies in military custody, court rules no foul play
Yesterday, a court in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, ruled that there was no evidence of foul play in the case of a suspected insurgent who fell into a coma and died while being held in military custody in Pattani province in 2019. A suspected leader of an insurgency group accused 34 year old Abdullah Esomuso of being involved with a…
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Labour Minister says government considering increasing minimum wage to 492 baht
Thailand’s Labour Minister says the government is considering increasing the daily minimum wage to 492 baht. Suchart Chomklin was addressing the Anti-Fake News Centre in an attempt to clarify rumours circulating on social media, according to a Nation Thailand report. “The ministry has discussed the raise with representatives of workers’ unions and businesses based on the rate submitted by the…
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Anutin to give away 1 million cannabis plants to Thai households from next month
Thailand’s kind-hearted Public Health Minister says he will offer households a million cannabis plants for free from next month. Anutin Charnvirakul’s generous gesture is to mark June 9, from when people will be legally permitted to grow cannabis plants in their own homes. However, it will have to be medical-grade cannabis only and can only be used for medicinal purposes.…
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Hospital director says Phuket boy lost his sight due to sinusitis, not Pfizer vaccine
The director of Vachira Hospital Phuket says a 12-year-old boy has been blinded by sinusitis complications, not by the Pfizer vaccine he received. Dr Weerasak Lorthongkham was responding to claims by Nonthaphat Sae-ong’s family members that the Covid vaccine he received on November 25 had caused him to go blind. According to a Bangkok Post report, the boy’s grandparents claim…
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WHO warning of infectious Omicron sub-variants has Thai officials on high alert
Thai health officials are on high alert after at least 1 foreign national was found to be infected with an Omicron sub-variant that has the potential to cause severe illness. The Bangkok Post reports that Supakit Sirilak from the Department of Medical Sciences says the World Health Organisation has issued a warning about 3 highly infectious Omicron sub-variants, known as…
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Putin uses Victory Day speech to defend invasion of Ukraine, mobilise support
Vladimir Putin has used his Victory Day speech to defend the ongoing war on Ukraine, pointing the finger of blame at the West and the government in Kyiv. The Russian president was speaking at the start of an annual military parade in Red Square, which has traditionally commemorated the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany. In his attempts to mobilise support…
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Thailand’s Covid-19 alert decreases to Level 3
Today, the Ministry of Public Health announced that Thailand’s Covid-19 alert level has decreased from Level 4 to Level 3 nationwide. Whether Thailand is ready to declare Covid-19 as endemic will depend on vaccination rates, according to the ministry. Director-General of the Disease Control Department Opas Kankawinpong said Level 3 means Thai residents still can’t go to bars and entertainment…
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Lazada-gate update: Lazada banned from entering Royal Thai Army premises
The Royal Thai Army is boycotting Lazada in the latest reaction following an advertisement deemed offensive to Thailand’s monarchy, which disappeared from TikTok shortly after it was uploaded last week. Thailand’s Army Chief has banned e-commerce giant Lazada from delivering packages into army premises, but says that soldiers still have the freedom to buy products from Lazada if they so…
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PM Prayut wants Thailand’s monks to clean their act up
Buddhist monks keep acting inappropriately, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has had enough. Yesterday, PM Prayut ordered the National Office of Buddhism to strengthen discipline among Thailand’s Buddhist monks, following a long string of cases of monks breaking the rules. The Sangha – the collective word for Thailand’s monastic community – has existed for thousands of years in Thailand.…
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Norwegian man found hanged in Pattaya home
A 74 year old Norwegian man has been found dead in his Pattaya home’s toilet over the weekend. Police say they were horrified at the scene of the man’s death on Saturday evening. The man had cuts on his wrists, a slit throat, and he was hanging on a rope that was connected to the ceiling with a pool of blood…
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Durian valued at 120 billion baht will be shipped to China this year
Thailand will export durians to the vale of 120 billion baht to China this year, about a 10% increase, according to Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chalermchai Sri-on. The Chinese government has set strict controls against fruit imports during their Covid-19 pandemic response. Thailand exported 875,100 tonnes of durian to China last year, valued at 109 billion baht. Thailand’s durian…
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Dying in Thailand as a Foreigner Part 2: Your Questions Answered
What happens to the body after death? How much does it cost to prepare a will? Who should you leave your will with? Tim newton sits with Ben hart from Integrity Legal to answer all your questions in Part 2 of ‘Dying in Thailand as a Foreigner’. Follow Benjamin Hart and his youtube channel Integrity Legal Thailand: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO6aDpt9xRwgueZvwIsBpWg
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Malaysia watches more pornography than any other Asian country, study reveals
As cases of Covid-19 surged around the world, so did consumption of pornography. Lockdowns and restrictions necessary to combat the pandemic encouraged more and more people to search for adult entertainment online. In a recent survey conducted by Pornhub, Malaysia was found to be the #1 country in Asia with the most visits to pornography websites. Globally, Malaysia was ranked…
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Pattaya to ‘officially’ reopen floating restaurants and water activities
The Pattaya Marine Committee has held a meeting with representatives from local marine business to discuss legally reopening floating restaurants and other water activity services, like jet ski and parasailing. The committee unofficially agreed on the reopening plans but insists restaurants offer only traditional Thai shows at this stage – no parties, no dancers. The Pattaya News reported that some…
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Taliban impose head-to-toe coverings for women in Afghanistan
On Saturday, the Taliban announced that Afghan women must cover their face, hair and body in public. According to the Taliban, woman should ideally wear a burqa, an all-encompassing garment which leaves only the hands and feet visible with netting over the eyes for vision. The Taliban said the decree is a “recommendation,” rather than a rule, but said the…
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Monday Covid Update: 6,488 new cases; provincial totals
55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,143 with 7,445 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,488 new Covid-19 cases and 12,755 recoveries. There are now 84,957 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Government economic agency says China’s zero-Covid policy hurting Thai economy
China’s relentless pursuit of a zero-Covid status, coupled with tough import restrictions, is having a negative impact on the Thai economy. So says the Thai economic planning agency, the National Economic and Social Development Council. According to a Nation Thailand report, the NESDC says it’s watching China closely, after a strict lockdown was enforced in Shanghai and other cities. “China’s…
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Thailand won’t take sides in Russia – Ukraine war, says PM Prayut
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says that his upcoming visit to Washington for the US – ASEAN summit on Friday does not mean Thailand will choose sides in the Russia – Ukraine war. He says the purpose of the summit is to discuss economy, trade and investment in the region. However, Ukraine has requested that Southeast Asian nations suspend dialogue…
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G7 countries commit to phasing out imports of Russian oil
In a virtual meeting yesterday, the Group of Seven nations gave an undertaking to phase out imports of Russian oil. It’s the latest move aimed at punishing Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine, with the US also unveiling sanctions against executives at Gazprombank and a number of other businesses. According to a Reuters report, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy,…
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Nightlife venues in “blue zones” want permission to re-open from June 1
Thailand’s nightlife venues are demanding to be allowed re-open for business in “blue zone” tourism areas from June 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, the proposal is one of several being submitted to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today. Sa-nga Ruangwatthanakul from the association of Khao San Road business operators says the proposals are being put forward by over 10 associations…
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What you can get for 1 million USD in Phuket
Wondering what you could buy in Phuket with a budget of 1 million USD? A million dollars goes a lot further in Phuket than in most western countries like the United States. With house prices rising significantly in many areas around the world, properties in beautiful but less expensive places like Phuket are certainly looking very enticing. Phuket has been…
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Tourism operators not getting their hopes up, still wary of government U-turns
Despite a further easing of entry restrictions at the start of the month, with the lifting of PCR testing on arrival, Thailand’s tourism sector is not getting its hopes up. According to a Bangkok Post report, tourism operators are concerned about several factors that have left them uncertain about any potential recovery. Chief among these is the risk of new…
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Upcoming campaign to urge Bangkok to vote in governor election
Just 2 weeks ahead of Bangkok’s election for a new governor, the Election Commission will launch a campaign tomorrow urging the public to vote. The elections are to be held on May 22. Tomorrow (Monday), the campaign will be held at City Hall, and trucks with loudspeakers will drive through all 50 of Bangkok’s districts. Speakers will urge people to…
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Phuket prepares reforestation activity for National Tree Day
National Tree Day is coming up next Friday, May 13, and Phuket is getting ready to celebrate! Phuket authorities plan to host a public event where people can come and plant trees. The event will start at Wat Kosit Viharn Temple, off Thepkrasattri Road in Rassada, and move to Toh Sae National Forest reserve, which is behind the temple off…
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