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 How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Transport Company resumes service, bans foreigners
The wheels on the bus go round and round. But not for foreigners living in Thailand. The Transport Company, the state operator of intercity bus services, announced today that foreigners are banned from its services due to the Emergency Decree. Although services have resumed on most of their routes across the country, foreign travellers are not allowed to board because…
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Thai man faces 8 charges for Tweets criticising the monarchy
A Twitter user is facing multiple criminal charges for this posts criticising the monarchy along with a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The 20 year old man, going by the name “Niranam” which is Thai for anonymous, runs the Twitter account @ssji_2475 where he has made posts critical of the Thai royal family, violating Thailand’s tough lése majeste…
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Economist predicts economy will shrink 8.9% this year, despite easing of restrictions
A leading economist is predicting the Thai economy will contract by 8.9% this year despite the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, far higher than previous estimates from local and international economic pundits. Amonthep Chawla, head of the research office at CIMB Thai Bank says that although Thailand is heading toward the fourth phase of lockdown easing, with more businesses to be…
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Fire kills man at his mother’s funeral in Kalasin
Police in Issan’s Kalasin province say a man has died in a fire that destroyed a wooden hut near the house where funeral rites were being held for his mother. The duty officer at the province’s main city police station identified the man as Sai Seema, aged 50. Sai’s mother had died the previous day and her cremation was scheduled…
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Woman arrested for boyfriend’s stabbing death
Police in Bangkok have arrested a woman for allegedly stabbing her longtime boyfriend to death in Issan’s Khon Kaen province. Officers of the Crime Suppression Division and Khon Kaen’s Muang police station arrested Thanphicha Rodnongkheng at a rented house near Victory Monument last night. 28 year old Thanphicha, aka. “Mind”, was wanted on a warrant issued by the Khon Kaen…
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WHO expert calls comments on asymptomatic virus transmission a “misunderstanding”
After stirring some controversy with comments about asymptomatic transmission of the virus being “very rare”, a World Health Organisation Covid-19 expert has rushed to explain herself. In a Q&A session on social media, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, says there is no definitive answer yet as to whether or not such transmission is rare but indicated that real world data showed…
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Singapore to begin human trial of potential Covid-19 prophylactic
A new drug, currently known as TY027, might be used to protect frontline healthcare workers against potential exposure to Covid-19, or travellers when they head to countries with high community transmission. Next week, 23 volunteers in Singapore will be involved in a clinical safety trial for the prophylactic antibody drug, which could be a viable treatment the disease that has already…
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Thai government to postpone tax increase on cheap cigarettes
The Thai government is expected to delay a planned tax increase on cheap cigarettes, as well as agreeing a moratorium on excise duties for entertainment and sporting venues, provided they don’t lay off any staff. Cigarettes costing less than 60 baht a pack were expected to see a tax hike of between 20-40% in October, but this is now being…
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Industry panel wants foreign businesspeople allowed back to Thailand
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking is proposing that foreign businesspeople be allowed back into Thailand. The president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce says this can be allowed if the government enacts strict measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, including ensuring every foreign visitor is tested for the virus 48 hours before landing in Thailand.…
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Covid restrictions ignored in Hong Kong as hundreds of protesters take to the streets
Hundreds of Hong Kong residents have defied police orders, taking to the streets to mark one year since pro-democracy protests began. They assembled in the Central district and marched to nearby streets, shouting various political slogans including, “Fight to the End”. There were also large gatherings in shopping malls, with people singing protest anthems and holding up “Liberate Hong Kong”…
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Footage found of Ukrainian in suspected murder investigation
Police in the southern province of Surat Thani say they’ve found CCTV camera footage of a Ukrainian woman shortly before her death on Koh Samui. Authorities say the footage shows her on the same day she was reported missing. 32 year old Olha Frolova was found dead earlier this week in a case police suspect involves foul play. Koh Samui…
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Husband, wife arrested after gold shop heist in southern Thailand
A husband and wife have been arrested for robbing a gold shop in southern Thailand, running off with necklaces valued at thousands of baht. They have a 2 year old son and the wife is 7 months pregnant with their next child. They told police that they needed money to support their family. The couple re-enacted the gold shop heist…
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Property slump in Thailand’s North
Real estate developers in Thailand’s North are a bracing for a slump in the residential property market, as the number of home buyers is dwindling and banks are imposing stricter rules on home buyers and reportedly denying mortgages. The president of the Chiang Mai Real Estate Association says the economic slowdown and lower confidence among buyers will lead to a…
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Samut Prakhan janitor arrested for alleged rape of daughters
Police in Samut Prakan, just south of Bangkok, have arrested a 42 year old school janitor for allegedly raping his 2 teenage daughters over a period of more than 2 years. Officers arrested the man yesterday after a complaint from movie star and women’s rights activist Panadda Wongphudee, who went to police after her women’s rights foundation assisted the girls,…
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Denied sex, Chon Buri man threatens suicide… again
A man in Chon Buri threatened to jump from a footbridge this morning after his wife refused to sleep with him. Rescue worker say this is the seventh time he’s threatened to jump from the same bridge. Police in the province’s Semet subdistrict were notified of the incident at about noon yesterday at the pedestrian bridge in front of the…
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Thailand News Today – Wednesday, June 10
Thai Airways takes action to protect its planes from seizure Struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways is petitioning 3 countries to try and avoid their planes being seized by creditors. The cabinet was informed about the filing of debt rehabilitation requests in foreign countries by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam, who chairs the committee tasked with coordinating a solution to the…
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Nonthaburi “nurse” reported to police
A woman in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, has landed herself in hot water over a bit of cosplay: the Nurses Association of Thailand is seeking legal prosecution after she claimed to be a graduate of Borommarajonani College of Nursing and dressed as a nurse for a pre-wedding photoshoot with a police officer. After the photos were posted online, a…
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Migrant worker exodus prompts fears of labour shortages
The director-general of Thailand’s labour department has met with Myanmar’s Ambassador Myo Myint Than to discuss how Thailand can manage the country’s migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The government wants Burmese migrant workers to stay in Thailand rather than return to their homeland during the crisis. Suchart Phonchaiwisetkun explained that many workers have demanded to be allowed to continue…
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Phase 4 easing may allow restaurants to sell alcohol. But when?
Relief may be on the way for struggling restaurants, as they might be allowed to serve alcohol again when health officials further relax measures taken to stem the spread of Covid-19. No domestically transmitted cases have been now been detected for 16 days and public health officials say they’re gearing up for the next phase of reopening, and they may…
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Covid-19 update: 4 new cases, no deaths (June 10)
Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, announced 4 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 at this morning’s press briefing. All are imported cases from Thai Nationals recently repatriated from overseas. 2 cases are from India, 1 is from Pakistan and the last case is from Madagascar. All 4 went directly into state quarantine and had no…
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Students charged after tying white bows around Bangkok monuments
3 students were sent to the police station after tying big white bows to the gate of the Democracy Monument in Bangkok. The students called on the Thailand and Cambodia governments to address the abduction of an exiled Thai political activist. The students were charged for violating the Road Traffic Act by tying the bows, according to Coconuts Bangkok. The Student Union…
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Russians stranded in Phuket finally allowed to fly home
78 Russian tourists who were stranded in Phuket and surrounding provinces by the Covid-19 outbreak, flew home on a special charter flight last night. Immigration police and airport staff saw them off at the international terminal lounge holding placards reading “До скорой встречи,” which means “See you soon” in Russian. They left on Aurora Airlines flight SHU5495 from Phuket international…
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More masks, more problems: Covid waste pollutes oceans
Disposable face masks and plastic gloves are ending up in the oceans around the world, some calling it “Covid waste.” Conservationists and non-profits in Europe and Asia worry that the items used to protect those on land from the coronavirus are now threatening life underwater. In France, Laurent Lombard, from the non-profit Opération Mer Propre, posted a video on Facebook on a…
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Deputy army chief proposes 15 day trial of lifting curfew
Deputy army chief Nathapol Nakpanit, who is also the deputy of the government’s administrative committee on Covid-19, told the Associated Press this morning the committee has proposed lifting the 11pm-3am curfew for a 15 day trial period. He didn’t give a specific date and spoke in advance of meetings to discuss the anticipated Phase 4 of lifting of restrictions. He…
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500 volunteer teachers to help students in remote areas
Students in rural areas will get a little extra help when it comes to online “distance learning” before schools are able to open again on July 1. 500 volunteers are assisting around 80,000 students across the country, many who are in remote areas such as villages in the mountains and on islands. The national “distance learning” experiment, to keep school going…
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Elderly woman dies in hit and run on Pattaya Beach Road
A hit and run incident on Pattaya Beach Road has claimed the life of an elderly woman, according to a report in The Pattaya News. The incident is understood to have taken place at 1am yesterday morning, during the national curfew. Emergency workers arrived to find the woman lying in the road, bleeding heavily. She was later pronounced dead at…
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Bang Saen plans to be a “zero waste beach”
A Chon Buri beach plans to be completely garbage free, aiming to be a so-called “zero waste beach.” The National Research Council of Thailand and Kasetsart University have teamed up to develop a waste management system and devices to help keep Bang Saen beach clean. Although there are far fewer people on the beach this year due to coronavirus restrictions,…
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Thai Airways takes action to protect its planes from seizure
Struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways is petitioning 3 countries to protect its assets, including aircraft, from seizure by creditors. Government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat made the announcement yesterday. The cabinet was informed about the filing of debt rehabilitation requests in foreign countries by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam, who chairs the committee tasked with coordinating a solution to the airline’s problems.…
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Thai Airways petitions overseas creditors not to confiscate its aircraft
Thailand’s beloved but beleaguered national carrier is appealing to creditors in Switzerland, Japan and Germany not to seize its aircraft, while a similar request is being prepared for US creditors. If each country’s court approves the petition, Thai Airways assets will be protected against seizure when they fly into their jurisdictions. In particular, the airline will not risk having its…
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Two transnational drug smuggling gangs busted
Police have cracked down on two transnational drug trafficking gangs who both smuggle and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine as well as other drugs in and out of Thailand. 11 members of the gang “Black Sashimi” were arrested for drugs trafficked from Thailand to Japan using Thai females ‘mules’ to carry the drugs into the country. The alleged gang leader,…
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