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.
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Sponsored Pre-existing conditions? These expat insurance plans still have you covered
Many expats feel worried that their pre-existing health problems will stop them from getting insurance in a new country. This fear is common, especially when medical care can be expensive. But the good news is, some insurance, like the plans...
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Mu Pa – from Mae Sai to Ellen Degeneres Show in LA
by The Nation/Asian News Network US daytime talk-show queen, Ellen Degeneres, posted on her Facebook page that the Mu Pa soccer team will be appearing on her program tomorrow (US time). “There was no story more captivating this summer than the Thai soccer team trapped in a cave.” She also posted a picture of herself with all the 13 Mu…
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Run out of money? Here’s the ‘how to’ guide to Begpacking.
PHOTO: backslackers.com “Aren’t you technically homeless? Why shouldn’t YOU cash in too. Why shouldn’t other people pay for you to travel? Begpacking (or beg packing) is a way for backpackers like you to earn money while you travel by begging for money or busking around the world.” Thailand has its fair share of ‘beg packers’ each year – young travellers…
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Anwar one step closer to taking over from Malaysian PM
Former Malaysian deputy PM Anwar Ibrahim has made his political comeback by winning a by-election at Port Dickson, Malaysia. The results aren’t official but based on exit polls. The result, a strong mandate in a seven-contestant poll, puts him one step closer to taking over the reigns from Mahathir Mohamad, the current Malaysian PM, who committed to handing over the top…
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South East Asia tops travellers’ lists
by DataLeads – Asia News Network The Asia Pacific region accounts for 30 per cent of the world’s international tourism receipts. The region outperforms all other regions in terms of growth, with international tourist arrivals increasing an average 7% per year compared to the world average of 4%. China remains one of the leading destinations in Asia. It attracted the highest number…
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Man’s body found at Bang Pae Waterfalls
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Newshawk Phuket reported at 3.22pm today that emergency responders had been called to the Bang Pae Waterfall in Paklok to search for a 25 year old man from Pattani. He had gone swimming in the ponds at the base of the waterfalls, as many do, but vanished prompting the man’s friends to alert officials. At 5.07pm this afternoon…
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Chinese tourists heading elsewhere – what did you expect?
Don Ross of ttrweekly.com reflects on the self-imposed, but unplanned, reduction to Thailand’s tourist numbers – principally Chinese tourist numbers. If there were growing calls to limit or better control the problems of too many tourists, lax Thai safety laws have done part of the job already. Don writes… Just a few months back, the debate in Thailand focused on the…
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Escaped prisoner trio recaptured in Chumphon
Three inmates who took advantage of a lapse in security, escaping from a court in Chumphon on Thursday, have been recaptured this morning in Chumpon. Police say the three were hiding on a mountain in a forest near by Huay Kla village in Tambon Tako in Chumphon’s Sawi district for the past two days. They went down to the village…
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Day 4 – Phuket Vegetarian Festival processions ramp up the ‘crazy’
PHOTO: At least he’s taking sun shade wherever he goes – Kritsada Mueanhawong It just gets crazier as the days go by. With the shackles off this year (last year the festivities were subdued due to the impending grand Funeral for HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej), the Vegetarian Festival is back up to full speed. The impression we get is that the…
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UPDATE: British Embassy statement on income letters
Officials knew about problems back in May and say that US nationals will also be affected. The British Embassy in Bangkok has responded to requests for clarification by Thaivisa on the issuing of letters regarding income. They said that they had a meeting with immigration in May and told Thaivisa that they are “not verification experts”. They have also claimed…
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Instagrammer apologises for doing handstand at Wat Pho
A foreign tourist has apologised on his Instagram page for posting a photo of himself doing a handstand in front of a key Buddha image inside the Wat Pho in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The tourist, whose Instagram account is soseguri that has 546 followers, deleted the photo and published an apology early on Friday. “I am very sorry for the…
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“This is not a hotel” – Share economy exploits loopholes
by Nophakhun Limsamarnphun Explosion in short term rentals causes problems for hotels and reduces tax revenues. Legal loopholes and lax regulation of the hotel business have led to a large number of unlicensed hotel operators and unregistered guests in major tourist destinations in Thailand, according to government and private sector officials. In addition, the widely-popular sharing economy has prompted new…
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Thaiger Radio News – Saturday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…
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Maya Bay coral “far from ready”
by Pratch Rujivanrom The corals at Maya Bay are not strong enough yet to withstand the influx of visitors. This latest from the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department (DNP) explaining reasons for the indefinite closure of the bay. Though the iconic tourist attraction in Krabi’s Had Nopparat Tara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park has been off limits for…
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Phuket Vegetarian processions continue – Day Three
The Phuket vegetarian street processions continue to amaze, thrill and scare spectators. Thais, expats and foreign tourists are enjoyed watching and participating in some of the processions on day three. The festival will run until October 17 this year. Read more about the launch of this year’s vegetarian festival HERE. Today was the third day of street processions around Phuket Town.…
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Baby elephant Chao Duan dies, 13 days after falling it pit
A two year old male elephant, nicknamed Chao Duan, died earlier today from his injuries, 13 days after veterinarians tried to save it after it fell into a pit in Chumphon. Nam Tok Ngao National Park head Somjet Chanthana said the young elephant died at 4am. It was rescued from a muddy pit in the forest near Ban Chanren in…
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Key suspect arrested in 800 million baht bitcoin ‘scam’
Parinya Jaravijit, a key suspect in an alleged 800 million baht bitcoin investment scam, was arrested last night at Suvarnabhumi Airport when he arrived back in Thailand. Parinya – who continues to maintain his innocence – was taken to Ratchadapisek Criminal Court today to apply for his first 12 day detention period (October 12-23). Police have objected to his bail…
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Pet registration bill rethink after public outcry
by Kornwaree Panyasuppakun A Bill approved by the Cabinet, making it mandatory to register dogs and cats, has ben derailed after pet lovers cried foul over the high fee for the registration documents, threatening to abandon their pets. The bill, approved by Cabinet on Wednesday, allows municipalities to charge a maximum fee of 450 – 500 baht for registration, 100…
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Three border police wounded in Narathiwat attack
by Narong Nuansakul Three border patrol police officers have been injured after being fired on in a gun attack by two suspected insurgents while returning to their base in Narathiwat’s Rusoh district yesterday morning (Thursday). Police deputy inspector Captain Marut Nilkosi visited the scene at Ban Manang Panyang (Moo 1) in Tambon Samakkhee. Officers collected around 20 spent AK-47 and…
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Man shoots himself in Rassada, Phuket
The younger brother of a famous Phuket business man has shot and killed himself in Rassada. Phuket City Police were called to the scene at Soi Srisuchart View on Chalerm Phrakiet Rama 9 (Bypass) Road at 4.30pm yesterday. Police and medical staff arrived to find a parked Toyota pickup truck. In the back of the pickup truck they found the…
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Million baht of counterfeit and prohibited goods destroyed
Fake goods, real machine to destroy it all. About 3,000 counterfeit items, valued at more than one million baht, including prohibited imported goods, have been torched at the incinerator in Phuket Town today. The destruction of the fake goods was held this afternoon and led by Phuket Customs Office Chief Kanjana Suwachino. Khun Kanjana says, “This is the final step in cases involving…
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Two arrested for smuggling tiger body parts
by Mongkolchaowarat Thangmangmee Two Vietnamese men have been arrested on a Mae Sot-Mukdahan bus in Phitsanulok for smuggling the body parts of a complete 200 kilogram tiger, estimated to be worth 2 million baht. The suspects, identified as 40 year old Ley Binh and 29 year old Nguyen Wan Tung were apprehended after a tip-off to police that suspicious persons…
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Power outage to hit parts of Karon
The Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) says they’re going to have scheduled blackouts in Karon on October 16. Residents of Karon are being advised that there is a scheduled power outages on the day from 7am to 5pm as the PEA continues its work on high power voltage systems in the area. Areas to be effected are area in front…
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Regular boat checks being enforced on Phuket
Thailand’s Marine Department says it has assigned more officers to check boats at every port and pier on Phuket. It’s part of a campaign to tighten regulations for tourist boats and also improve marine security after the tragic boat accident that killed 46 Chinese tourists in July. According to a report filed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, the…
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UWC Thailand presents free screening of “SCREENAGERS”
In keeping with UWC Thailand’s (UWCT) commitment to helping students, parents and the wider community develop a ‘Good Heart, Balanced Mind, Healthy Body’, the school is hosting a complimentary showing of the internationally acclaimed film ‘Screenagers’ for families across Phuket on Friday, November 2 at 8:30am. In ‘Screenagers’, as with her award-winning documentaries on mental health, Physician and filmmaker Dr.…
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Thaiger Radio News – Thursday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…
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Thonglor Pet Hospital enters Phuket market
by Kwanchai Rungfabaisarn Thonglor Pet Hospital has announced that it has bought a majority stake in a Phuket facility, marking the company’s expansion into the South. The company said it had formed a joint venture for the investment deal with Chalong Phuket Pet Hospital, which has operated in Chalong Beach on the resort island for more than 16 years. Thonglor…
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AirAsia integrates AI to become a travel technology company
by The Star – Asia News Network AirAsia is integrating Google Cloud’s machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence) technologies into every aspect of its business, as part of its transformation into a travel technology company. Speaking at the Google Cloud Next London event, AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes said, “It’s a huge mission, but we’ve never done anything easy.” “We are…
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Body found floating at Phuket Beach
PHOTO: Kusoldarm Foundation An unidentified body has been found floating at Nai Thon Beach, on the northern coastline of Phuket. Sakoo Police were notified of the discovery from Nai Thon Beach lifeguards around 4pm yesterday (Wednesday). Police along with the Phuket Tourist Police and rescue workers arrived to find the body of a foreign man who was only wearing swimwear.…
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An inspiration for the world – Mu Pa mission chief in New York
“The recent multinational rescue operation to free the Mu Pa football team members from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province should be an inspiration for people around the globe to help one another.” – Mission’s chief, Narongsak Ostanakorn “I hope this experience inspires people to start living for others,” Narongsak said. “That would be a game changer for the…
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Phuket boys return tourist’s cash and belongings
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Yesterday two Phuket boys did the right thing and returned a small bag to Police after they found it at Khao Kard – an Ao Yon viewpoint in Wichit. Wichit Patrol Police were delivered the bag by 14 year olds Peerayut Chaitin and Arneen Yukunthorn. They are both studying at Phuket Wittayalai School. Police say the boys…
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