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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Four migrants in Songkhla discovered to have Covid-19, treated in hospital
Police arrested 22 migrants from Myanmar in Songkhla last night, and four tested positive for Covid-19. They are now being treated at a hospital, while the rest of the migrants in the group await legal measures on charges of illegal entry, and pending deportation. District officials found the 22 men hiding in bushes, and reporters at the Bangkok Post said…
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Ukraine-Russia crisis, western leaders “convinced” Russia will invade
The British PM Boris Johnson claims he has evidence that Russia is planning “the biggest war in Europe since 1945”. Speaking to the BBC, Mr. Jonhson said “all the signs are that the plan has already in some senses begun”. “People need to understand the sheer cost in human life that could entail. Asked if a Russian invasion is imminent, Mr…
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Baby turtles hatch in Phang Nga national park
A female green turtle laid eggs on a beach in Phang Nga province in December, and last week, her babies hatched. The turtle laid 75 eggs altogether, and park officials confirmed yesterday that 66 had hatched and have been released into the ocean. Seven eggs were unfertilised, and two baby turtles had died. The 90.7% of hatchlings that survived spent…
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Saudi Arabia will have flights to Thailand available starting February 28
After Thailand and Saudi Arabia patched things up last month after decades of cold relations, flights from Saudi Arabia to Thailand will be available starting on February 28. Thai International Airways also plans to have direct flights between Bangkok and Riyadh in May. Thai tourism authorities have set a lofty goal of 20 billion baht from an expected 200,000 Saudi…
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Songkhla man arrested on suspicions of trafficking Burmese migrants to Malaysia
Following last month’s arrest of 31 Burmese migrants trying to cross through Songkhla province into Malaysia, police have now caught a man suspected of trafficking them. Yesterday, police in Sadao district arrested Saiyid Ratdaewa after finding him in a house he was renting. Police say they found that Saiyid was a job broker for migrants seeking jobs in Malaysia. Police…
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The Role of Embassies For Foreigners in Thailand
What is the role of embassies in Thailand and when do we need them as a foreigner or expat in Thailand? Are some embassies better than others? Tim sits with Ben Hart from Integrity legal to find out the use of embassies in Thailand.
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Korean hotel exec found dead in Kanchanaburi, cause not yet known
A Korean hotel executive was found dead in a a hotel in Tha Muang district of Kanchanaburi province yesterday morning. The medical team hasn’t yet found the cause of his death, and his body showed no signs of struggle. The executive, Kim Kyoung Cheon, was 38 years old. The person to find Kim was a hotel cleaner who had knocked…
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Patong tourists charged after driving unregistered electric scooters
Four tourists in Patong were charged with using unregistered and untaxed vehicles after they drove electric scooters near a beach resort. Several people had complained that the tourists were driving the scooters recklessly, threatening the safety of pedestrians and drivers alike. One of the tourists was stopped near a police booth on Pee Road last Wednesday evening, and the other…
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Thai tourism industry demands Covid restrictions to be lifted, PM urges caution
The Thai Prayut Chan-o-cha is calling on all 77 provincial governments to do everything they can to reduce the spread of the latest Covid surge in Thailand. There has been more than 18,000 new infections over the past 2 days. Today, Thailand logged 18,953 official new cases with numerous additional un-official cases which have been registered from ATK tests. So…
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Thailand will purchase stealth jets if United States okays
Thailand will purchase Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets if the United States approves it. In January, Thailand set aside US$413 million for four jets, but one Thai air marshal said Thailand wants to buy as many as eight. A US State Department spokesperson said the department doesn’t confirm or comment on proposed transfers or sales until congress has been formally…
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Jaguar car explodes into flames on Bangkok expressway
Bangkok police are investigating why a black Jaguar car exploded into flames on the Charlerm Maha Nakhon Expressway last night. The driver and passengers escaped and weren’t physically hurt, but they were traumatised. The driver said they smelled diesel fumes, then saw smoke, and then the car lit on fire. He said he didn’t leave the car in any suspicious…
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Is the new Boeing 737 Max safe to fly? New Netflix documentary argues the case against Boeing
A new Netflix documentary, directed by Rory Kennedy, is a withering and forensic critique of the Boeing company and their complicit cover up of problems with their new Boeing 737 Max aircraft. “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing” lacks overt drama or re-enactments of screaming passengers, but it catalogues a two decade-long decent from a company paranoid about safety to a…
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Rights groups urge United States to ban fishing nets made by Thai prisoners
A December investigation by the the Thomson Reuters foundation discovered that jails across Thailand are illegally forcing prisoners to make fishing nets for private companies, including those that export to the United States. Former prisoners Reuters interviewed said guards beat them, disallowed them to shower, and pushed back their release dates if they didn’t meet strict targets. Now, Thai and…
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Man allegedly stabs ex-wife’s new boyfirend in Sri Racha, Chon Buri
Man in Chon Buri allegedly stabbed his ex-wife’s new boyfriend after an argument. The ex-wife, Sukanya, reportedly told police her ex-husband “broke up with” her about a month ago, though it’s not clear if he officially filed for divorce. Sukanya said her ex and their son came to her house to get some of his clothes and belongings he left.…
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DDC says Covid-19 vaccine side effects, allergic reactions rare
A director from Thailand’s Department of Disease Control says there have been very few cases reported of side effects from Covid-19 vaccines. The director told the Bangkok Post out of the 120 million vaccine doses given so far, only 79 people have had allergic reactions. 43 were from Sinovac, 22 from AstraZeneca, 11 from Pfizer, and three from Sinopharm. Out…
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Thai officials talk of replacing second PCR test for Test & Go entry with ATK
Day 5 requirements of Thailand’s Test & Go entry scheme has been discouraging some potential tourists from travelling to Thailand. Not only is a second RT-PCT test needed on the fifth day of their stay (the first test on arrival), but travellers are required to book a night at a hotel approved by the Safety and Health Administration while the…
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Elephant crossing! 35 new road signs warn Kanchanaburi drivers not to hit elephants
After a pickup truck hit and killed an elephant on a Kanchanaburi highway in January, 35 new elephant crossing signs have been posted along that highway, a wildlife sanctuary chief told the Bangkok Post yesterday. Elephants regularly cross this highway, Highway 1399, to move between different feeding areas. The signs warn drivers that the speed limit is 60 kilometres per…
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Asia News Today | Indonesia’s hotel quarantine scams
Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry say authorities are cracking down on hotel quarantine scams, who he claims are allegedly perpetrated by organised groups, against foreign travellers. He’s already coined the groups the “quarantine mafia”. Police have been following up allegations of numerous reported scams in hotel quarantine across Jakarta. The scam involves travellers being told at the end of their hotel quarantine…
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7 arrested for alleged sex with underage girls, police looking for more suspects
Seven people were arrested for allegedly having sex with underage girls in the southern province of Surat Thani. A 14 year old girl also faces human trafficking charges for allegedly enticing other teen girls into prostitution. With one of the suspects being the son of a politician, Police Lieutenant General Surachate Hakparn, known as “Big Joke,” says all suspects will…
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Launch of Bangkok’s two new electric rail lines delayed
Due to construction material complications, the debut of Bangkok’s two new electric rail lines, the Yellow and Pink lines, scheduled for later this year, is likely to be pushed back until no later than next year, according to Bangkok Mass Transit System. The delay will give contractors extra time to deal with obstacles and hurdles in importing construction materials from…
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Expats want to leave Hong Kong- but that’s an expensive thing to do
After two years of Covid-19 restrictions and political crackdowns in Hong Kong, expats there want to leave. But doing that costs a lot of money in shipping, and pet relocations. It’s not just finances that keep Hong Kong Expats from moving. People who move often have to wait months after shipping their belongings to actually receive them. Hong Kong has…
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Thai Deputy PM says foreigners should be encouraged to say “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon”
Thailand’s capital can still be called “Bangkok,” but one of Thailand’s deputy prime minister says foreigners should be encouraged to say the formal name “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon”. In a recent, what the Office of the Royal Society calls a “clarification,” the capital’s official name was documented as “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok).” Many reports say this is a change…
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Thai officials say to “look out for” illegal migrant workers amidst Covid-19 surge
This morning, a government spokesman said people in border provinces have been told to “look out for” illegal migrant workers as governors prepare for an increase in Covid-19 infections. He also said people should report “suspicious looking strangers” to authorities. He said police and labour officials have been told to check and make sure factories aren’t hiring illegal migrants, and…
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UK pedicab driver adopts tuk tuk tactics, forced to return lassies’ swindled quid
A pedicab driver in London who swindled two female passengers out of 180 pounds has been forced to return the money, after the Westminster City Council requested a crackdown on the city’s bicycle rickshaw “nuisance.” The driver originally charged 18 pounds for a 3 minutes trip, but then increased the price by a factor of 10 at the last minute,…
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Thai durian farmers prepare to face China’s zero-Covid-19 policy at the border, again
Durian growers in Thailand are preparing for stringent import checks with their biggest buyer — China, as the country continues to enforce its zero-Covid-19 policy at the border. Last year, Thailand exported more than 875 thousand tonnes of its pungent yellow fruit to China by land, sea and air, generating an estimated 3.4 billion USD, according to the Department of…
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Public Health Ministry opens sexual health centre in Bang Rak, Bangkok
In the midst of a rise in STD infections, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry held an opening ceremony yesterday for a new sexual health centre in Bang Rak district in Bangkok. The centre, called Bang Rak Medical Centre Building, is part of Bang Rak Hospital complex on Sathorn road. Some of the centre’s services will include test-and-go services for STIs, and…
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Thai government may evacuate citizens from Ukraine amid tensions with Russia
The Thai government plans to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine in the event of an escalation in tensions with Russia. According to a Bangkok Post report, there are around 230 Thai nationals living in Ukraine. Tanee Sangrat from Thailand’s Foreign Ministry says officials at the Thai embassy in Poland have laid out a plan for their safe evacuation if necessary.…
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More than 100 monkeys tied in bags, trapped in cages rescued from home
More than 100 baby macaque monkeys were found at an abandoned home in Saraburi, some tied up in bags. One was dead. Some locked in plastic carriers were weak from hunger and thirst. Police suspect the home was being for storage by a wildlife smuggling gang preparing to transport and sell the monkeys across the border where the animals would…
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Anutin says government needs to balance public health needs with economic recovery
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says the country needs to balance economic recovery with the need to protect public health. Anutin Charnvirakul was addressing a Bangkok Post conference yesterday when he said striking the right balance is a priority for the government. Covid-19 infection numbers are currently soaring as a result of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, but Anutin expects the infection…
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Tourism operators submit letter to PM calling for all entry restrictions to be lifted
A number of groups representing tourism operators in the south and east of the country, as well as the Thai Hotels Association, are calling for all entry restrictions to be lifted from next month. The Bangkok Post reports that the groups have written an open letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and other government officials, calling for the country to be…
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