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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Omicron variant: 9 cases confirmed, 5 more suspected in Thailand
Omicron is slowly creeping into Thailand. Officials have announced that there have now been 9 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 diagnosed within the borders of Thailand. Those nine cases have been fully genome sequenced and confirmed that they are definitely the new and highly infections variant. Omicron is believed to be more contagious but less severe than…
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Business and government leaders meet to reopen Pattaya bars
A high-level meeting is the latest in the non-stop attempts by businesses in Pattaya to reopen bars and entertainment venues, with business leaders and government officials meeting at Pattaya City Hall yesterday to discuss the issue. The conference was run by the president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, the Bang Lamung District Chief, the mayor of Pattaya, and…
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Cambodia, Phillippines report first cases of Omicron Covid-19 variant
Omicron appears to be quickly making its way into Southeast Asia, as the Philippines and Cambodia both reported the first cases of the new variant on the same day. The Philippine Department of Health said today that it has detected the country’s first two imported cases of the Omicron virus strain following the 48 samples sequenced yesterday. Those two patients…
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Cabinet approves 82.5 billion baht project plan to clean up Bangkok’s polluted canal
Bangkok’s Khlong Saen Saep is in for a major cleanup. Garbage litters the waterway and wastewater flows into the canal, which is a major water transit with an express boat service running through the capital. To tackle the problem, the Thai Cabinet approved an 82.5 billion baht, 11-year rehabilitation project. The waste from the canal, which connects with the Chao…
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Phuket taxi charged with death of Swiss tourist in motorbike crash
An accident in Phuket has left a Swiss tourist dead and a local taxi driver in custody being charged with his death. The crash took place Monday when taxi driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and ploughed into the Swiss man who was driving by on his motorbike. The accident took place near Nai Harn in Rawai sub-district. Witnesses…
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Two women arrested for allegedly running unauthorized Covid-19 laboratory
Two women were arrested for allegedly issuing unauthorised Covid-19 certifications when police raided the D Lab Inter Group clinic in Muang district of Pathum Thani province on Monday. According to the head of the Consumer Protection Police Division, Pol Maj Gen Anant Nanasombat, two women who identified themselves as Wasita and Pornnapa were reportedly charging 500 baht for each Covid-19…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 3,370 new cases; provincial totals
29 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,260 with 21,166 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,370 new Covid-19 cases and 4,557 recoveries. There are now 46,315 people in Thailand being…
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Candidate for Bangkok governor under fire after claim he studied under Einstein’s grandson
A candidate for Bangkok governor is under fire after he claimed to have studied engineering under Albert Einstein’s grandson, and even went as far to say he’s the only one in Thailand that has studied under an Einstein. But a Thai reporter decided to fact check the claims and found that the American professor has no connection to one of…
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Ask the Girls (Part 2) – Questions you’ve always wanted answered
Should sex toys and porn be properly legalised in Thailand? Do Asian women like or prefer dating western men? Join Natty as she asks the girls questions you’ve always wanted answered. This is Part 2 of a new entertainment segment we like to call, Ask the Girls.
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Thais poke fun at TAT’s “fly the kite” event, the phrase has another meaning in Thailand
Thais are having a laugh over the headline for a kite festival promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the Isaan province Buriram. In Thai, the phrase “flying a kite” can mean two different things… One is literally flying a kite, while the other means male masturbation. TAT Buriram is promoting the event with the headline “ชักว่าว เคาน์ดาวน์ ปีใหม่…
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Pfizer booster shots on offer in Rayong, 1,000 per day for 3 days
3,000 Pfizer vaccines are set to be administered as booster shots in Rayong from Wednesday to Friday, 1,000 each day at Memorial Hospital Sirindhorn Rayong. The vaccines will be given for free for qualifying people who meet the criteria laid out by the hospitals. The vaccines will be available for those who are already fully vaccinated with Sinovac, Sinopharm, Astrazeneca,…
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Red Cross Fair being held online again this year due to Covid-19
For the second year in a row, the national Red Cross Fair is being held online only due to concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic. The fair takes place every year all over Thailand as a fundraiser to support the Red Cross and their programs, especially those to help the poor and people in need. The Red Cross often steps in…
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Thailand set to host five alcohol-free New Year’s celebration events
The government has given the okay for booze at New Year countdown events, but for those who want to start 2022 sober, or just want to go to a more family-friendly celebration, the Thai government is hosting the alcohol-free “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2022” in five locations across Thailand. Locations include Royal Park Rajapruek in Chiang Mai, City Hall in Nakhon…
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Singapore Airlines launches vaccinated travel lane service to Bangkok
Singapore Airlines is joining Jetstar Asia in offering a vaccinated travel lane service between Singapore and Thailand, with 25 flights a week between Bangkok and the city-state. TTR Weekly reports that out of the 25, 14 will be VTL flights, meaning quarantine-free travel for vaccinated passengers arriving in Singapore The VTL flight numbers are SQ705 and SQ707, with the addition…
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Maya Bay re-opening to go ahead with strict conditions attached
The tourist hotspot of Maya Bay, in the southern province of Krabi, will re-open as scheduled on New Year’s Day. However, the re-opening comes with some strict conditions attached. There had been some doubt about whether the re-opening of the beauty spot would go ahead, but Thailand’s prominent marine ecologist, Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat from Kasetsart University, says it’s happening. According…
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Fisherman’s body found by Saphan Hin Beach in Phuket
Rescue teams and the Royal Thai Navy found the body of a 60 year old fisherman by Saphan Hin Beach in Phuket who had drowned after a fishing boat capsized over the weekend. The boat sank at around 8pm on Saturday. The captain and another fisherman were able to swim to safety after hours in the water and got to…
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Health officials warn of potential Omicron surge after New Year holiday
The Department of Medical Services says Thailand could end up dealing with a surge of Omicron infections after the end-of-year celebrations. Department chief Somsak Akksilp says the public must continue to comply with disease prevention measures to keep the highly contagious variant at bay. He adds that mild symptoms can be treated while patients self-isolate at home. According to a…
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The controversy around Balkan hydroelectricity
Some 2,796 hydroelectric power plants are scheduled for construction in the Balkans over the next few years. According to the NGO RiverWatch, 740 are to be built in Albania, which boasts a total geographical area of just under 29,000 square kilometers. Fifteen years ago, former Albanian president, Sali Berisha, declared his ambition to transform the country into a Balkan “power”…
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COVID-19: South Africa develops own coronavirus vaccine
From the outside, the building in an industrial district of Cape Town looks like any other nondescript warehouse. In fact, it is a beacon of hope for the biotech industry and vaccine productionof the entire African continent. Inside, preparations are ongoing for future mRNA vaccine production. The Covax initiative for the development of COVID-19 vaccines called on manufacturers to apply…
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The 77 Percent — The retirement age impasse
How long do you want to work before retiring? In most African countries the retirement age is 60. But in Uganda, some civil servants want to change their age legally so that they can stay in the job market for longer. Unsurprisingly, young Ugandans who face crippling unemplyment are very much against the idea. On this week’s show we delve…
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AfricaLink On Air – 14 December 2021
Nigeria’s security situation at a glance +++ Gambia’s main opposition party heads to the supreme court to challenge the outcome of the December 4th presidential election +++ Is Cameroon serious about protecting the LGBTQ community? +++ Mali’s young creative farmers changing the game +++ Russia – Ukraine tension SOURCE: DW News
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Sudan: Military used heavy weapons against anti-coup protesters, NGOs say
The deaths of at least 41 unarmed protesters in Sudan have caught the attention and condemnation of international observers. Despite the internet outage ordered by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan following the military coup on October 25, activists were able to document the use of anti-aircraft weapons and armor-piercing bullets. The footage shows clearly that the Sudanese Security Forces and militias such…
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Staying young — and on the payroll: Why Ugandan public servants are changing their legal age
Some Ugandan public sector workers nearing retirement are trying to stay on the government payroll — by seeking to change their legal age to remain employed. Currently, Ugandan public service laws require all workers to retire at the age of 60. But an increasing number of employees — especially those with links to politicians — are doing all they can…
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Indonesia: Epidemiologists warn of high COVID risk at disaster shelters
As a sprawling archipelago on the ring of fire, Indonesia frequently experiences strong earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. A 7.3-magnitude earthquake in the Flores Sea on Tuesday sent people runningfrom the coast in panic, although a tsunami warning was called off, and damage was reported to be minor. However, disasters in Indonesia can often be more serious. The sudden eruption…
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Is South Korea close to officially ending the Korean War?
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said this week that the United States, China and North Korea agreed in principle on declaring a formal end to the Korean War, replacing an armistice agreement that ended hostilities in 1953. However, analysts are not sure it will happen, or if such a step is advisable, given concerns over the security situation in northeast…
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How to bring your pet into Thailand
Those who travel to Thailand with pets, may have a few questions about the legalities surrounding the importation of your 4-legged friends. But, all worries aside, as long as you follow the rules and regulations set forth by the Thai consulate in your home country, it should be a fairly smooth process. Here, we have the current rules and procedures…
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Two lions escaped at Singapore’s Changi Airport facility while being loaded aboard
Officers at Singapore’s Changi Airport may have encountered the real-life Jumanji prop on Sunday as two lions escaped from their container while being loaded aboard a Singapore Airlines flight. Authorities had to contact the vets right away, who used a tranquiliser gun on the two massive cats, one of which was found relaxing atop their cage. According to The Straits…
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Phuket police launch road safety campaign called “100% helmet”
Strap on your helmet. Motorbike drivers in Phuket are warned to wear helmets while driving. The Phuket Provincial Police have launched a new campaign called “100% helmet” with increasing fines for those who are repeatedly caught not wearing one. At the launch event yesterday, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Lt Col Sathit Nurit said that “this will help prevent and…
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Health Ministry looks into fake vaccine certificates after social media post goes viral
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is looking into fake vaccine certification sales after a post advertising bogus certifications went viral on Facebook. A photo of what looks like a vaccine certificate issued by the Thai government with a caption saying “Get a vaccine certificate from us. No need to waste your time getting vaccinated.” Get a vaccine certificate from us. No…
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Bangkok restaurant raided, several foreigners caught without entry stamps
In yet another party bust, police raided a restaurant in Bangkok at around 1:45am yesterday, past the 11pm cutoff set by the government, and arrested more than 45 people for violating disease control measures. Several foreigners were also charged for not having entry stamps in their passports. Immigration police officers say 30 people at the Nakhon Bar Bangkok were foreigners…
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