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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    5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)

    Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...

  • Army’s helicopters ‘much larger, included pilot training’

    Army’s helicopters ‘much larger, included pilot training’

    PHOTO: thaidefense-news “His information is inaccurate and he could be viewed as making unfair allegations against the Army.” An anti-graft activist came under attack from the military after he alleged that the Army had bought helicopters at inflated prices. Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, earlier filed a petition with the Office of…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Saturday

    Thaiger Radio News – Saturday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Bus driver and company charged after reckless driving in Krabi – VIDEO

    Bus driver and company charged after reckless driving in Krabi – VIDEO

    A Krabi- Surat Thani driver and his bus company have been charged after a case of reckless driving being caught on video. The video clip of the reckless Krabi –Surat Thani bus driving on a road spread in social media during the week. The Krabi Land Transportation Office Chief Ronnakorn Songin contacted the bus driver to meet. The bus driver,…

  • Patong Carnival schedule

    Patong Carnival schedule

    For those interested in getting involved in the Patong Carnival festivities, here is the latest schedule released by Patong Municipality for this year’s events.. November 2 9am – 6pm Kite show 3pm – 4pm Puppet (Marionette) show 6pm – midnight Performance from Pida Dance Academy, Yamaha music contest, shows from Hotels Patong Association, shows from Cowboy group. November 3 9am…

  • Drought declared in five Khon Kaen districts

    Drought declared in five Khon Kaen districts

    Whilst parts of Thailand suffered floods and overflowing dams during August and September, other parts of the country are now facing drought conditions as we head into the dry season. Khon Kaen Governor Somsak Jungtrakul has declared five districts drought disaster zones. Somsak said on Friday there had been no rain for months in Pol, Nong Song Hong, Ban Had, Waeng…

  • Local tour guides protest over illegal tour guides

    Local tour guides protest over illegal tour guides

    Phuket tour guides today protested at the Phuket Provincial City Hall over illegal tour guides they say are taking their jobs. About 100 Phuket tour guides protested in front of the Phuket Provincial City Hall and handed a letter to Phuket’s Vice Governor Tanyawat Chanpinit pleading for fairness in the situation. President of Andaman Tour Guide Association, Krit Thepbamrung, who…

  • Poll restrictions to be relaxed in December

    Poll restrictions to be relaxed in December

    The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has distanced himself from a claim by his deputy Somkid Jatusripitak that the next head of government would “look similar” to the current one. General Prawit Wongsuwan, another deputy premier, said Somkid had shared the same thoughts as “many of us” although he would not specify what he thought regarding the matter. General Prayut was…

  • 9 years of providing Phuket’s lifeguards comes to an end

    9 years of providing Phuket’s lifeguards comes to an end

    PHOTO: Constant training and up-skilling was at the core of the Phuket Lifeguard Service The nine year relationship between the Phuket Lifeguard Service and the Phuket provincial and Thesaban administrators is over. The contract for providing professional lifesavers at Patong beach, the final beach under their watchful eye, finished yesterday. Speaking to the MD of the Phuket Lifeguard Service Company,…

  • 730 more foreigners rounded up in nationwide crackdowns

    730 more foreigners rounded up in nationwide crackdowns

    Immigration police have carried out their latest nationwide raid, rounding up foreigners living illegally in Thailand. There were 730 more arrests yesterday. Pol Maj Gen Itthipol Itthisarnronnachai, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, told the media at 1am this morning (Friday) the results of the 38th “X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner” operation. Itthitpol said the operation focused on 238 areas around the…

  • “Pilots were very funny, very smart, very nice guys” – Lion Air boss

    “Pilots were very funny, very smart, very nice guys” – Lion Air boss

    PHOTO: Indonesian media agency Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency says it’s located the crashed Lion Air plane’s landing gear, wheels and a large section of the fuselage. Investigators have also found the flight data recorder, the “black box,” from Lion Air Flight JT610. The data recorder, more than anything else, will likely provide vital information about the plane’s functions…

  • Phuket Carnival 2018 kicks off in a blaze of colour

    Phuket Carnival 2018 kicks off in a blaze of colour

    More Than 30,000 oThai and foreign tourists, as well as Phuket residents lined the streets of Patong last night to usher in the annual Patong Carnival, held each year to mark the beginning of the tourism high season. Titled “Colorful of Patong Beach”, the grand opening parade was a lot better than the Organiser’s grammar. Joining in the opening ceremony…

  • Questions arise about costs of military helicopters

    Questions arise about costs of military helicopters

    In the wake of the tragic crash of King Power supremo Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s personal helicopter last Saturday evening (UK time), an unintended story has emerged about the costs of the model of his helicopter, the same model used by the Royal Thai Army. Srisuwan Janya, a ‘transparency activist’, according to Khaosod English, has dug into the accounts books and found that…

  • Koh Tarutao archipelago is plastic-free

    Koh Tarutao archipelago is plastic-free

    Tarutao Islands National Park has been declared as an area free of plastic and styrofoam containers for the current tourist season. Assistant Park Director Kittipong Sanui said during the launching ceremony of Satun Andaman Tourism Season that the Department of Natural Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has imposed a ban on the use and import of once-used plastic and styrofoam…

  • Power outage to hit parts of Patong tomorrow

    Power outage to hit parts of Patong tomorrow

    The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) says they’re going to have scheduled blackouts in parts of Patong tomorrow. Residents of Patong are being advised that there will be scheduled power outages during the day as the PEA continues its work on high power voltage systems in the area. Areas to be effected include… Near Patong Police Station to Sawaddi Hotel…

  • Suspects arrested with methamphetamine pills and kratom in Phuket

    Suspects arrested with methamphetamine pills and kratom in Phuket

    Sakhu Police have arrested three suspects and seized 8,498 methamphetamine pills and liquid kratom. Police have arrested 36 year old Nikorn ‘Mui’ Jantawong from Phuket. Police seized 8,498 methamphetamine pills. He has been charged with illegal possession of Category 1 Drugs with intent to sell. The arrest came after police received a tip-off that Nikorn was selling drugs in the…

  • Chinese investment sets new records in property purchases

    Chinese investment sets new records in property purchases

    The demand for property, especially in Bangkok, continues unabated. Despite a drop off in absolute tourism numbers, enquiries from Chinese real estate buyers remains strong, setting new records. Not only are the Chinese the most frequent tourists to Thailand, they are the most enthusiastic property buyers, stetting a new record for Q3 this year. Number two in foreign investors into…

  • Thailand drops a notch in the ‘ease of doing business’ world ranking

    Thailand drops a notch in the ‘ease of doing business’ world ranking

    The World Bank has declared that Thailand’s ranking in ease of doing business has dropped to 27th, one place down from last year’s 26th place. Thailand’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) score, an absolute measure of the country’s progress toward global best practice, reached 78.45 this year, up from 77.39 last year. But some of the other countries above it…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…      

  • Two suspects arrested over Chalong robbery

    Two suspects arrested over Chalong robbery

    Police have arrested two suspects who robbed a shop in Chalong and sped away with cash and a gold necklace last week on October 23. Chalong Police were originally notified about thentwo suspects robbing the shop in Soi Songkhun in Chalong. Read about the original reports HERE. Yesterday Police arrested 27 year old Puwanart ‘Nam’ Maneechot from Phuket following the issuing…

  • Myanmar prepares for the repatriation of 2,000 Rohingya

    Myanmar prepares for the repatriation of 2,000 Rohingya

    PHOTO: Myanmar foreign secretary Myint Thu A leading Myanmar official says that his country is poised to accept a first group of 2,000 Rohingya refugees from camps in Bangladesh this month, despite widespread doubts over the proposal. The Myanmar government have repeatedly dragged their feet when its come to international demands for them to assist in the repatriation of Rohingya…

  • Female Russian jumps from her condominium in Wichit

    Female Russian jumps from her condominium in Wichit

    A female Russian has died after jumping from a condominium in Wichit this afternoon. Wichit Police were notified around 1.30pm. The incident was also widely reported on social media. Wichit Police, along with the Phuket Tourist Police and rescue workers, arrived at the seven story condominium. A body of a 48 year old female Russian (name withheld at this stage)…

  • No more overstayers, no more corruption at Immigration – Hakparn

    No more overstayers, no more corruption at Immigration – Hakparn

    Put a big red circle around “October 31, 2018” on your calendar. It was the day it was announced that corrupt practices are over at the country’s immigration offices and the number of overstayers by the end of November in the Kingdom will be precisely “zero”. Thailand’s newly appointed immigration chief Maj-Gen Surachate Hakparn and deputy Immigration chief Gen Srivara…

  • New flat-fee taxi service to start 2019 after fare hike refused

    New flat-fee taxi service to start 2019 after fare hike refused

    A new taxi service offering unlimited rides for a flat monthly fee of 10,200 baht is set to be launched early next year in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. A total of 2,000 professional taxi drivers and association members will make up the new My Taxi Co fleet, which customers could hail via a smartphone App, according to association president Worapol…

  • No hug, no kiss, no goodbye – speeding up school drop-offs

    No hug, no kiss, no goodbye – speeding up school drop-offs

    Police in Bangkok are urging parents to cut short their lengthy farewell when they drop their kids off at school to avoid adding to Bangkok’s traffic woes. Traffic police launched the “No kiss, no hug, no bye” campaign in front of St Gabriel School on Samsen Road this morning at 6.45am as students prepared to return for the second semester.…

  • Phuket Carnival at Patong “ready to rock Phuket”

    Phuket Carnival at Patong “ready to rock Phuket”

    The five day Patong annual carnival, this year themed “The Colours of Patong Beach”, starts tomorrow. The annual Patong Carnival is a celebration marking the beginning of the high season in Phuket. The carnival is usually held right at the beginning of November when the weather is starting to get sunnier. The carnival is run by the Patong Municipality and…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…      

  • 44 national assembly reps support bill to decriminalise ‘medical marijuana’

    44 national assembly reps support bill to decriminalise ‘medical marijuana’

    A total of 44 members of the Thai National Legislative Assembly have signed in support of a draft bill to decriminalise marijuana for medical purpose by deleting cannabis from the Category 5 list of narcotic drugs, said Mr Somchai Sawaengkarn, secretary of the NLA’s extraordinary committee on parliamentary affairs. He says the decision to push for a separate bill to…

  • No plane, no flight data recorder – search & recovery continue off Jakarta

    No plane, no flight data recorder – search & recovery continue off Jakarta

    The plane involved in the Lion Air flight JT610 crash off Jakarta was Boeing’s newest and most advanced jets, loosely based on the original Boeing 737 but including the very latest technology and construction materials. It was just two months old and with a minuscule 800 hours under its belt (for a commercial jet). Aviation officials, Boeing engineers and investigators…

  • Black box recovered as probe begins into cause of Vichai crash

    Black box recovered as probe begins into cause of Vichai crash

    UK Air accident investigators have begun the slow process of ascertaining the cause of the helicopter crash on Saturday that took the lives of King Power chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people. The sombre inquiry coincided with the opening of a book of condolences at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium, where fans flocked to leave tributes to the man…

  • 10 children have died from southern measles outbreak

    10 children have died from southern measles outbreak

    The measles outbreak in Yala has worsened with 859 children now having been infected and the death toll standing at 10 cases, Betong district health official Wongwit Akarawarothai said on Tuesday. Wongwit joined other health officials in knocking on doors to have people in Ban Na Kor (Moo 9) in Tambon Ai Yer Weng vaccinated, resulting in 75 children under…