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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.
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Harry and Meghan join speaking circuit
Prince Harry and wife Meghan (aka. The Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex) have made a major move towards earning their own income by signing with a major US agency that sets up speaking engagements. The New York-based Harry Walker Agency reportedly has many A-list clients including Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. The Duke and…
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Abbot hits back after criticism of ‘cheap’ temple makeover
The abbot of a 300 year old temple at the centre of a controversial renovation project has hit back at his critics, saying the work was carried out in accordance with Buddhist beliefs. His comments come after academic Wara Chanmanee lodged a complaint with the Fine Arts Department after Wat Bang Duan Nok was refurbished using cheap floor tiles and…
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Qantas cuts 6,000 jobs to recover huge revenue losses
Australia’s Qantas Group is cutting at least 6,000 jobs after a massive revenue loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The jobs losses will be spread across all parts of the business while continuing to stand down 15,000 employees in an effort to recover. The Qantas Group includes the Qantas ‘full service’ brand and the JetStar discount airline offshoot. 20 % of…
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UK starts human testing on experimental Covid-19 vaccine
The UK is joining the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine with volunteers already getting jabbed as the testing continues. But the new vaccine isn’t merely a weaker version of the actual virus- it ‘clones’ the virus so its receivers don’t actually get infected with Covid-19. Imperial College London is behind the new vaccine which uses synthetic strands of genetic code,…
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NokScoot downsizes, airlines ask for financial help
Travel restrictions and flight cancellations across the globe have caused once busy sky traffic to go quiet as airlines are taking a battering from the coronavirus outbreak. Less of the bird-like, yellow beaked planes will be in the air as the popular budget airline NokScoot just announced it’s downsizing their fleet and laying off employees to try and keep the…
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Pakistani plane crash “due to pilot error”
A preliminary report over last month’s Pakistani plane crash reveals the pilots made errors that caused them to crash the plane, resulting in the loss of 98 lives. The pilots were reportedly distracted as they were chit-chatting about the coronavirus and didn’t even bother to lower the plane’s landing gear. Furthermore, they tried to land the aircraft when they were…
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Miner hits jackpot finding largest-ever tanzanite gems
One Tanzanian miner’s day just got a lot brighter after finding the largest Tanzanite gems in history. The finding has now made him US$3.35 million richer, and he plans to share his newfound wealth with those around him. Saniniu Laizer, the small-scale subsistence miner who made the discovery, said he will first have a party and then work on plans…
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Open for business. Just about all business restrictions in Thailand lifted from July 1.
Thailand has now gone over a month without a locally transmitted case of Covid-19, and July 1, approaching quickly, will see the resumption of all businesses and activities originally suspended under the Emergency Decree, including bars, pubs and “soapy” massage parlours. Spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin made the announcement yesterday. He told the media…
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Q&A with David Barrett on travel, tourism and MICE
Industry expert and respected marketeer David Barrett chatted with travel writer and media consultant Andrew J Wood on the recovery from the impact of Covid-19 on Thailand’s formidable travel and tourism industry. AW. As Thailand starts to emerge from lockdown what do you believe are the most important points to consider to ensure success? DB: As we begin to recover,…
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Woman injured after falling through broken drain cover in Trang
A woman has injured her leg after slipping through a broken drain cover in the southern city of Trang. The woman, named only as “Ms B” was on her way home from a restaurant in the city when her right left slipped through a gap in the drain cover as she was walking to her car. Her leg, which was…
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Bangkok school accused of cafeteria corruption by watchdog group
One Bangkok school is under fire after it was revealed that ‘free’ milk is being sold for 5 baht a cup and the provided breakfast is just cheap instant noodles. The Thai Anti-Corruption Club Facebook page has been posting photos of the cheap breakfast and has sparked discussion about where the money allocated for student food is going. Napat Food…
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JLL sees bright future for post-Covid Thai real estate market
Thailand’s hospitality industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and Bangkok’s serviced apartments are no exception. A study by property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle indicates that serviced apartments have generally fared better than hotels in current and past times of distress. The report expects the pandemic to boost the growing trend of mixed-use premises offering hotel rooms and…
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Thailand News Today – Wednesday, June 24
July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thai New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but it now looks like it’s going to be pushed back later this year. The annual celebrations could even be separated to…
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UPDATE: Pregnant woman killed in hit-and-run, driver surrenders
UPDATE: Today, the car mechanic who ran over and killed a pregnant woman on Sunday handed himself over to the police. Police in Bangkok’s Min Buri district had previously issued an arrest warrant for 48 year old Kawin Sathorn, for running over a woman who was 5 months pregnant. The 21 year old victim, Nadiyah, was on a motorbike with her…
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Arrival ban to end on July 1… some foreigners will be allowed in
“Dr. Taweesilp says about 50,000 foreigners are expected to visit the country under the new rules.” Thailand will begin allowing foreigners to enter the country from July 1, easing the months-long arrival ban. But foreign tourists will still be banned. Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says that the first group will comprise businessmen…
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Massage parlours will be allowed to reopen, must track and report customers to government
Post-Covid nightlife in Thailand is likely to be a bit duller than before, but at least “soapie massage” is back on the menu. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that massage parlours of every description will be allowed to reopen along with bars, pubs and other venues in the next phase of easing restrictions. But, there will be…
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TM30 immigration reporting requirements updated
The immigration reporting requirements for foreign visitors and residents have changed: the Immigration Bureau has announced an update to the requirement for TM30 reporting, clarifying when a TM30 report is due under section 38 of the Immigration Act. Here is an unofficial translation of the crucial part of the announcement for expats, in Section 2.2: “2.2: After the householder, owner…
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Update on Asia’s quest for a Covid-19 vaccine
Partnerships have formed between some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, as well as collaboration between countries as Asia’s best minds are working together in a bid to be the first to create a Covid-19 vaccine. Here is an update on four leading countries in Asia, in the search to find a cure for the notorious Covid-19 virus which was swept the…
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Music festival sparks fears of second wave in France
In France, thousands of people gathered to party at the annual Mid-Summer Music Festival. Those who attended were advised to use face masks and social distance from each other. This was largely ignored as people danced and sang along to bands and DJs in crowds in the streets, with many not even wearing face masks. Many spectators who witnessed the crowded street party…
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Runner hospitalised, claims his water-bottle was poisoned
A man took a swig from his water bottle after he went on a run at a Nonthaburi park, northwest of Bangkok, and later ended up at the hospital with symptoms of a stroke. He says he believes it was from poison in his water bottle. The man had set his water bottle down at the Makut Rommayasaran Park. After…
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China’s second-richest is an ex-Google employee
Apparently, working for any kind of technology company in today’s world can reap massive wealth. That’s the case for one of China’s citizens who became the second richest person in the nation after previously working for Google. Colin Huang is valued at $45.4 billion by Forbes, placing him second in China after Tencent’s Pony Ma after his e-commerce company Pinduoduo…
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“The End” for one of Thailand’s last independent cinemas
The Scala cinema in Bangkok’s Siam Square, is set to close its doors for good at the start of next month. Management from the cinema’s parent company, Apex Scala, have announced the theatre’s demise on social media, saying a series of farewell events will be held between July 3 and 5. Khaosod English reports that the cinema has faced threats…
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WHO says to keep breastfeeding, even with Covid-19
The World Health Organisation says those mothers who are suspected of, or indeed have Covid-19, should continue breastfeeding as its benefits outweigh transmission risks. In a press release yesterday, the organisation said “Recommendations on mother-infant contact and breastfeeding must be based on a full consideration of not only of the potential risks of Covid-19 infection of the infant but also…
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Deputy PM to become leader of ruling Palang Pracharat party
In a widely anticipated move, 74 year old Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, dubbed Thailand’s “Rolex General,” has accepted the invitation to become the new leader of Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharat party. The move is seen as a way of strengthening unity within the main coalition party, which has been plagued by factional conflicts, and to provide unity for the government…
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88th anniversary of Thailand’s constitutional monarchy commemorated
Today marks the 88th anniversary of Thailand’s transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy. Activists from several groups are staging peaceful gatherings across the country to mark the anniversary of the 1932 revolt, in what was then Siam. 30-40 demonstrators gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument and played a video reenactment of the speech made by People’s Party leaders after they…
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Prisoner escapes hospital, turns himself in hours later
A prisoner fled from the hospital in the eastern Prachin Buri province where he had been admitted for a hernia operation, but surrendered to authorities less than 3 hours later. Authorities in the Kabin Buri district office say 38 year old Marut Kongchan was serving a drug sentence at Krabin Buri Prison. He slipped out of Kabin Buri Hospital about…
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7.5 magnitude earthquake rattles Mexico
A 7.5-magnitude earthquake has rattled southern and central Mexico causing at least five deaths with some questioning if a tsunami would follow. The large quake produced more than 140 aftershocks, mostly small, but churches, bridges and highways were the main structures damaged. Mexico’s National Seismological Service said the quake struck the southern state of Oaxaca at 10.29 am local time on…
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Buriram father and son reunited after 16 year separation
An 83 year old man in the north-eastern province of Buriram has been reunited with the son he has not seen for 16 years, thanks to the local police force who were able to help tracking him down. The man, named in a Thai Residents report as Rit Bunpetch, is understood to be bedridden with gallstones and gout, and had…
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Garbage collectors find a bag full of meth
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. A black rubbish bag thrown into rubbish bins wasn’t your typical garbage. Police say the bag, picked up by a garbage truck in Northeast Thailand, was full of methamphetamine pills. Along with 78,000 methamphetamine pills, police say the bag contained 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or ice. Police say the bag may have…
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Military weapons seized near Burmese border
Police in the Mae Sot district of the Tak province, near the Burmese border, have seized a massive cache of military weapons, including 33 M16 and AK47 assault rifles, M79 grenade launchers and PK general purpose machine guns, together with a large quantity of ammunition of different calibers. 2 Thai men were arrested, but no details were available as to…
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