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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Courts order ISPs block 8 users from web, social media
Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn confirmed today court orders instructing internet service providers to block or remove 8 users the government says used social media or their own websites to post fake news. The ISPs met with the ministry to receive the court order to block the users. The court ordered the ISPs to either remove or block…
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Nong Chompoo uncle surrenders to police on murder charges
In an update to the report published this morning when a warrant was issued for his arrest, the uncle of Nong Chompoo has surrendered to the police and is facing murder charges. Chaiphol Wipha, the uncle of a 3 year old girl found dead in Mukdahan last year, turned himself in to the Royal Thai police late this morning. He…
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Serbian volleyball player makes racist gesture during Thai match
A volleyball match in the Nations League is making waves after a Serbian volleyball player made a gesture many considered racist during a game with the Thai team. Sanja Djurdjevic was signalling her teammates during the match when she tugged on the corner of her eyes, narrowing them into a gesture that has often been used as a racist jab…
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Qatar Airways will fly 4 times weekly to Phuket starting July 1
Qatar Airways is going all-in on the Phuket sandbox plan to reopen the tourist island to international travellers on July 1. The airline has confirmed that they will run flights 4 times per week between the Qatari capital city of Doha and Phuket. This new route is in addition to the airline’s current 12 flights a week to Bangkok. The…
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ASEAN delegation to visit Myanmar to help find a solution to ongoing crisis
To help find a solution to the ongoing situation in Myanmar following the military coup, an ASEAN delegation will visit Myanmar tomorrow to meet with the leaders of the junta’s State Administrative Council, which has taken the place of the elected civilian government led by the National League of Democracy. Since the February military takeover, an estimated more than 800…
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Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority details international flight rules
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced some specific flight rules on the procedure for international travellers flying into Phuket after July 1. This comes just after the Tourism Authority of Thailand laid out more general rules for travel within Thailand for international tourists. Tourism officials from TAT and the island have been steadfastly determined to reopen under its…
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WHO assigns alternative names for Covid variants based on Greek alphabet
After criticism over naming new variants of Covid-19 based on the country it was first detected, the World Health Orginisation has announced alternative names for the “variants of concern” based off the Greek alphabet… Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, etc. Last week, media outlets in the UK released reports last week saying more than 100 people had tested positive for the…
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ONCB to investigate transnational drug trafficking operations with routes in Thailand
Following the news of the Thai national arrested in South Korea for allegedly smuggling methamphetamine into the country, Thailand’s Office of Narcotics Control Board is now investigating transnational drug trafficking operations with routes in Thailand. Thailand’s Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin ordered for the investigation, advising authorities to investigate to see if drug traffickers in Thailand have been involved in operations…
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Arrest warrant issued for murder suspect who became a minor celebrity during the investigation
A murder suspect, who became famous in Thailand during the investigation, now has a warrant for his arrest over the death of his 3 year old niece. With the continuous and overdramatised media coverage on the case, the 44 year old suspect Chaiphol Wipha became a minor celebrity and gained a fan base, some who have raised donations to help…
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Philippines confirms delay in imports of AstraZeneca doses from Thailand
The Philippines has announced that the arrival of a first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines being imported from Thailand has been delayed. The delivery of the vaccines, manufactured in Thailand and ordered by the Philippines, has now been pushed back by several weeks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the development gives rise to questions about Thailand’s distribution plans for Southeast…
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Health Minister confident AstraZeneca doses will arrive on time
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says the delivery of 6 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is on schedule. Anutin Charnvirakul says the doses are expected to arrive in batches, throughout the month of June, and he’s confident the first lot will be here by June 7, when the national rollout begins. “I’m confident the first lot will be put…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 3,440 new cases and 38 deaths
3,440 new Covid-19 cases and 38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest wave of infections in Thailand, the CCSA has recorded a total of 136,599. Out of the new cases, 1,087 were detected in correctional facilities. Thousands of inmates at more than a dozen Thai prisons have contracted the…
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It’s a yes: WHO approves Sinovac for emergency use
The CoronaVac vaccine from Chinese firm Sinovac has been approved for emergency use, making it the second Chinese vaccine to be approved by the World Health Organisation. The approval paves the way for more widespread global distribution, particularly as part of the Covax scheme. The scheme aims to provide poorer countries with equal access to Covid-19 vaccines but up to…
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Phuket foreigners can register for vaccine leftovers
Starting tomorrow, foreigners residing in Phuket can register for a Covid-19 vaccine. On Thursday and Friday, they can receive a vaccination from the “surplus” of doses still available. To register for the vaccine, foreigners are instructed to use the “Phuket Must Win” web portal. Mr Pracha Asawathira, who is with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and “involved” with…
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324 schools open in Lampang
Today, 324 schools across 13 districts in Lampang, a northern Thai province, opened their doors for the first semester in the “New Normal” system. At one Lampang school, Boonwart Wittayalai, students are set to alternate the days they go to school with, presumably, days they don’t go to school and learn online. Before entering a classroom, students must wash their…
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Body found in water off Patong
Yesterday, a man’s body was found in the sea near Tri Trang Beach, a lesser-known beach between Patong and Paradise Beach, south of Patong. Patong Police are investigating the matter. Rescue workers were called in around 3:40 pm to the Coral Beach Bridge at the southern tip of Patong beach. A local fisherman had reportedly hauled the unidentified corpse ashore.…
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Southeast Asia: The new covid-19 epicentre
Some western countries appear to have turned the tide against Covid-19 (China and India have also administered between 640 million and 208 million doses, respectively). The middle East is showing promise in vaccinating its citizens. But health experts predict some countries could be months or even weeks from being able to come out on the other side of their current…
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Countries push back against being associated with variants, new system may be coming soon
It is one thing to hear a foreign country be connected to the name of a virus, it’s another thing when it’s your country. It feels personal. Last week, many Thais were incensed to have their country associated with a Covid variant. Likewise, the Indian government has called for having all references to the “Indian Variant” scrubbed from social media. They…
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State of emergency extended in Japan
A month before the Olympic Games begin, a state of emergency has been extended in 9 Japanese prefectures, including Tokyo. The extended decree is in force until June 20 and covers Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. In the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gifu, and Mie, strict non-emergency restrictions are in force and have…
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Thai Brewers Association asks for reprieve from alcohol ban
Yesterday, the Thai Brewers Association delivered a petition to the CCSA and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration asking them to reverse the ban of alcohol sales in restaurants, bars as the ban has been harmful to their businesses and they have not been given any other options. The statement reads: The Thai Brewers Association truly understands the goodwill and purpose of…
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Police officers arrested for alleged involvement in Bangkok kidnap
Two high ranking police officers in Bangkok have been arrested for alleged involvement in the kidnap of a 60 year old Taiwanese businessman for a US$3 million ransom. Police say the man was abducted in broad daylight from a restaurant in the Thong Lor district over a failed business deal for rubber gloves. The March 28 incident where 60 year…
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Government unsure if local administration budgets can be used to buy vaccines
In what could put yet another spanner in the works, the Thai government is questioning if local authorities can purchase vaccines and whether state-allocated budgets can be used for this purpose. The Bangkok Post reports that officials at the Interior Ministry fear a chaotic rollout, with several local administrative organisations racing to order supplies of Sinopharm, the latest vaccine to…
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CCSA shuts down order to reopen 5 types of venues in Bangkok
Just as Bangkok was about to reopen some venues and businesses, the order was shut down by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. After businesses went weeks under a strict closure order, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration agreed to loosen restrictions and decided to reopen 5 types of venues and businesses, with conditions to prevent the spread of Covid-19, but the…
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Don’t worry, says PM, we’ll have enough vaccines
The Thai PM says he’s confident there will be no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines and that expected deliveries will arrive as scheduled. Prayut Chan-o-cha was speaking yesterday during a House of Representatives address, ahead of a debate on the budget for the 2022 financial year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM says the distribution of vaccines to areas…
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TAT outlines rules for Phuket re-opening | VIDEO
So, here they are, the dos and don’ts for all those vaccinated tourists planning trips to the southern island of Phuket from July 1. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has laid out the rules governing the Phuket Sandbox model that will see the island re-open to international visitors in just a few weeks’ time. While fully vaccinated tourists will no…
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Opening Phuket and Thailand to travellers and tourists on July 1 | VIDEO
If you’re wanting, or able, to come to Thailand at the moment, the best chance is about to happen. It’s called the Phuket Sandbox, but it’s a pilot program for the rest of Thailand’s tourist areas, and eventually the entire country, to reopen safely for travellers and tourism from July 1. There will be changes to the scheme and additional…
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