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 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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Freak summer storms damage 1,000 houses around Chiang Mai
PHOTO: Thai PBS Up to 1,000 homes were damaged by gusty winds and storm cells over the weekend around Chiang Mai. Ten districts were blacked out for several hours when a freak rain storm struck on Saturday, ripping off the roofs of homes and flinging debris around the districts. According to the provincial public disaster prevention and mitigation office, the…
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LATEST: Sri Lanka bombings
A wave of explosions rocked Sri Lanka up-scale hotels and churches on Easter Sunday around the capital Colombo. This is what we know… • At least 215 people have been confirmed dead with up to 450 more injured in a series of bombings targeting churches holding Easter services and hotels in Sri Lanka. The toll is likely to rise during…
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Third runway for BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport
The Thai cabinet yesterday approved the construction of a third runway at Suvarnabhumi International Airport as part of the country’s ambition to become the aviation hub of ASEAN. The 21.7 billion baht project will increase the combined capacity of Suvarnabhumi international airport’s runways to 94 arrivals and departures per hour from the current 64, said Lt-Gen Weerachon Sukonthapatipak, deputy government…
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Commerce Ministry talks up benefits of palm oil for generating power
While the Thai government is promoting the use of palm oil to produce power, the latest price of the oil remains lower than the cost of producing it because the volume of output was 30% more than the expected quantity. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will survey the real quantity of palm oil to be released onto the market…
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The 5th Annual Stargazer talent contest returns to CC’s Hideaway
This year the winner will receive 35,000 baht in prize money! CC’s Hideaway, located in Kata, proudly presents its fifth ‘Stargazer Talent Contest’ which will take place on April 27 between 6 pm and 11 pm. The goal of Stargazer is to create an opportunity for new individuals and groups to perform and promote their special talents and, with media…
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Average hotel prices drop in Thailand in 2018
The latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) released by Hotels.com reveals no sign of a slowdown for the global travel industry. Prices are up for overnight accommodation by 3% globally in 2018 across every regional index, except for the Pacific region, including Thailand. Hotel.com has 85 websites in 34 languages, and lists over 325,000 hotels in approximately 19,000 locations. Its inventory…
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Legality of Seastead likely to be tested in an international court
The perceived naiveté of the team surrounding the seastead structure off Phuket’s south-east coast are about to be tested as the matter is likely to end up in an international court. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says that the Thai government has the right to demolish the floating sea home and welcomed the threat of a lawsuit by its builder, Ocean…
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Eight fishing tour boats destroyed at southern pier
PHOTOS: The Nation A fire has destroyed eight tourist fishing boats in Satun province earlier today. Police report that the fire broke out at the Pak Bara pier and spread quickly from a fishing boat to seven other adjacent boats. The boats were used to take tourists out to fish in the sea. The pier is the take-off point for…
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Newborn baby dumped beside garbage bins
FILE PHOTO A newborn baby has been found abandoned near rubbish bins in Chon Buri province, south-east of Bangkok, earlier today. 18 year old city sanitation worker, Anucha Boonkhai, has told police that he had loaded garbage from all the bins on Soi 4 of Ban Kao village in Tambon Ban Kao, Muang district, when he spotted a pile of…
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Summer storms leave 6,900 homes damaged this month
More than 6,900 houses, mostly in a patch through the central-north regions of Thailand, have been hit by summer storms since the beginning of April, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. Chayapol Thitisak, the director-general, says the department has received reports that 6,940 houses in 1,010 villages in 307 tambon of 115 districts had been damaged by storms…
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Phuket seastead will be removed today
The Third Naval Area Command will remove the seastead stationed off Phuket south-east coast today, belonging to an American bitcoin investor and seasteading innovators Ocean Builders. Thai authorities plan to seize the structure as evidence in a criminal case. They fear the structure will continue to be a navigation hazard if left there. US national Chad Elwartowski and his Thai…
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Forecast drought will weaken the Thai economy
Thailand suffers calamities at both ends of the annual weather spectrum – both drought and flood. But as the demands on agriculture grow, with a growing population and the rise of tourists and development, the effects of these two extremes are becoming more apparent. Which leads us to this year’s outlook of lower rains which is exposing the poor management…
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Mitsubishi testing their new regional jet
PHOTO: The Japan Times Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ new 88-passenger Mitsubishi Regional Jet is testing the skies just as rivals Embraer and Bombardier are moving to sell off their manufacturing operations for jets with up to 160 seats to Boeing and Airbus. At stake, particularly in the market for jets with fewer seats, is US$135 billion in sales in the two decades through…
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Boonrod gets his own Facebook page – VIDEO
Boonrod, the dog rescued this week from an oil rig the middle of the Gulf of Thailand, can now show off his own Facebook page with more than 6,000 followers. Launched just yesterday, Boonrod บุญรอดหมาอ่าวไทย (Boonrod Gulf of Thailand dog), has Facebook user Vitisak Payalaw serving as an administrator. The rescue of the tan-coloured dog, named Boonrod (“Survivor” in Thai) by oil…
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Immigration police interview Phuket’s ‘seasteader’
Immigration police says they’ve have questioned the American bitcoin investor who was involved in the setting up of the “seasteading” structure off the coast of Phuket and is facing criminal charges related to the waterborne homestead. Chad Andrew Elwartowski and his Thai girlfriend, Suprenee Thepdet (aka Nadia Summergirl), launched their seastead project on February 2 off the coast of Phuket…
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New Economics Party clarifies their support for pro-democracy coalition
PHOTO: Mingkwan Sangsuwan, New Economics Party leader – The Nation Leader of the New Economics Party Mingkwan Sangsuwan hasy reiterated his party’s intention to join with the pro-democracy coalition (Pheu Thai, Future Forward) and against the pro-junta party, Phalang Pracharat. Amid uncertainty over which camp New Economics would work with after the election, Mingkwan has clarified he would not join…
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Prawit instructs the Royal Thai Navy to take action against the Seastead
PHOTO: Chad Elwartowski and Nadia ‘Summergirl’ – in the centre of a Seastead storm Deputy PM, and Defence Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan has ordered the Royal Thai Navy and security agencies to take action against the planned seasteading settlement on the Andaman Sea off Phuket “in accordance with international standards of practice and to ensure the protection of Thai natural resources.” American Chad…
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Australian Tham Luang cave divers receive prestigious Thai awards
Australian cave divers Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen have been conferred the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn at a ceremony in Bangkok, for their crucial role in the Tham Luang cave rescue. The pair received the honour in a ceremony at Government House in Bangkok on Friday afternoon, before meeting with the PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. “It’s very exciting, it’s…
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Ambulances must not exceed 80kph, except in emergencies
The Public Health Ministry’s directive to ensure ambulances keep below 80 kph only applies to non-emergency referral cases. The clarification issued today after a lot of criticism in social media. The ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Dr Prapon Tangsrikertikul, says… “The policy has been introduced to ensure the safety of those inside the ambulances. But, of course, drivers can use appropriate…
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Bus crashes off the road in Khon Kaen
PHOTOS: Pudtayan Banphai Rescue Foundation Many passengers have been injured following a bus crash in Khon Kaen, north-east Thailand this morning. The Pudtayan Banphai Rescue Foundation reports that the bus was traveling from Bangkok to Nongkhai in northeast Thailand. The bus, which was full of passengers, hit a tree and a light pole on the road before ending up on its…
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Fake 500 baht banknote found in Krabi store
A fake 500 baht banknote has been discovered at a convenience store in Krabi. Police headed to the store in Mueang Krabi District after they were notified of the dodgy 500 baht note. 43 year old Maimunoh Somsa, the store manager, was waiting for police with the item in question – a very good copy of a 500 baht Thai…
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Phuket’s water lords confident of supplies and back-up plans
PHOTO: Welcome to the moonscape – Bang Neow Dum off Srisoonthorn Road Well in to the second half of April in Phuket and the water situation is still dire, despite repeated assurances from the Provincial Irrigration Office and the Phuket Water Authority. The most recent assessment of the island’s three main catchments were that there was 2.8 million cubic metres of…
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Central and upper Thailand residents warned to stay indoors
Thailand’s Meteorological Department is warning people to avoid out-door activities due to the current high temperatures which are forecast to exceed 43C today in several northern provinces. They are also advised to stay clear of big trees, poorly-erected structures or large billboards because of freak summer storms and strong winds caused by a low pressure cell over the northern…
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Italians, Thais and Burmese arrested for illegally fishing in Phang Nga national park
Two Italians, three Thais and a Burmese man have been caught fishing illegally in the Mu Koh Similan National Park area off the Phang Nga coast yesterday. Private fishing is illegal inside the marine national park area. The head of the Mu Koh Similan National Park Ruamsin Manajongjaroen says that officers were notified that the boat had been spotted catching…
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Man charged after stabbing Australian tourist in Phang Nga
A man has been charged after stabbing an Australian tourist who sustained serious injuries in Phang Nga yesterday. The Khao Lak Police were notified that the Australian man sustained injuries after being stabbed at a bar in Takua Pa, Phang Nga last evening. The injured man is 44 year old Australian tourist William Mark Wayne. He was rushed to Takua…
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Central and north swelter with threats of summer storms
The mercury shot up to 40C in Bangkok yesterday and 35 other provinces in north and north-east Thailand also experienced hot to very hot weather amid brewing summer tropical storms. The Thai Meteorological Department pointed to the hot low pressure cell covering upper Thailand and the southerly and southeasterly winds prevailing over the North, the Northeast, the Central, the East,…
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Australian snorkeller collects trash at Kalim beach everyday
PHOTOS: Patong Surf Life Saving An Australian man has been seen collecting trash in the waters just off Kalim beach in Patong every day over the past month. The Patong Surf Life Saving team report that they have seen the foreign man, an Australian national, collecting trash near the shoreline at Kalim Beach every day. Every morning he heads off…
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Surachate on holiday in the US
PHOTO: Bangkok Biz News Former Immigration Chief and high-profile crime-buster, Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn, has been laying low since being dramatically sidelined two weeks ago, being demoted to ‘office duties’ at the Police HQ in Bangkok. Now he’s on holiday in America. Thairath says that government spokeswoman Patcharaporn Inthiang revealed that the Lt Gen Surachate had put in a request for…
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Suspect arrested for sexually assaulting British tourist on Koh Phi Phi
PHOTO: ejan.co A man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a British tourist on Koh Phi Phi. Police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen says that the Thai suspect’s name is Trairat Changsanan, a local ferry worker who was arrested yesterday. He has been accused of sexually assaulting the 21 year old British tourist on Koh Phi Phi Don on April 15.…
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Burmese man stabbed to death in Thalang, Phuket
A Burmese man has been stabbed to death whilst drinking alcohol with friends in Thalang last night. Police are investigating to identify and prosecute a suspect. The Thalang Police were notified of the incident at a worker camp in the Panason housing estate on Bang Jo – Khao Lan Road in Thalang at 11.30pm last night Police and emergency responders…
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