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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Suspected monkeypox infections in Thailand turn out negative
Thailand’s DDC has announced that the country still has no confirmed cases of monkeypox as of Friday. Six suspected infections in the country ended up with negative lab test results on the same day. Even though there are no confirmed cases, a DDC spokesperson said health officials are now monitoring arrivals from countries where monkeypox has been detected. The latest…
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BKK Governor to Discuss Easing of Mask Requirements | Weekend Update
Today is Bangkok’s pride parade, Cabaret shows in Pattaya are back, All suspected monkey pox cases in Thailand test negative, Phuket officials on their toes as night life re-opens and the governor of Phuket asks people to remark. All this and more on todays weekend update.
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Police investigate blast in Northeast Thailand that killed lecturer
Police in Northeast Thailand are investigating a blast that tragically killed a university lecturer in Sakhon Nakhon province’s city district on Friday. Police say the lecturer, 41 year old Pichai Srimanta, was killed when doing a research project to extract oil from plastic waste at a garbage dump, where the explosion happened. A worker who witnessed the tragedy said the extraction…
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Dolphin washes up on Phang Nga beach, likely from strong waves
Locals discovered a dolphin washed up on the shore of a beach in Phang Nga province yesterday, just north of Phuket. A local man tipped off the Royal Thai Navy about the dolphin, and officials from the navy and the Sea Turtle Conservation Centre arrived on the scene. The dolphin was then transferred to the Phuket Marine Biological Centre in…
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Pattaya woman allegedly runs off with boyfriend’s belongings
A woman in Pattaya has allegedly run off with several of her boyfriend’s belongings, after he let her stay in his condo while he was in Germany. A 41 year old German national under the psyudonym ‘Peter’ told reporters he had returned to his condo in Pattaya after travel restrictions eased, planning to surprise his girlfriend ‘Fah’. He said he…
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United States CDC says over 700 cases of monkeypox worldwide
The United State’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced yesterday that it knew of over 700 cases of monkeypox worldwide. The CDC said there were 21 cases in the US. Today the number of cases, worldwide has reached nearly 900. Although 14 of the cases in the US are thought to be travel-linked, CDC officials say that at least…
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Bangkok’s governor says officials will discuss easing outdoor mask requirement
After the confusing mask policy flip-flop in Phuket, Bangkok’s new governor Chadchart Sittipunt has announced plans to discuss easing mask requirements in Thailand’s capital. Chadchart stated late this week that Bangok Metropolitan Administration will meet with public health and medical departments to discuss the outdoor mask-wearing regulation. Chadchart did not, however, specify when the meeting will happen. The governor also…
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Japan facing rise in ‘Long Covid’ cases
Japan is seeing a number of people report having so-called ‘Long Covid’ symptoms, including fatigue, coughing and memory memory loss. Tokyo’s metropolitan government found that of the 2,039 people reporting Long Covid symptoms, 97% only had mild symptoms when they were infected with the coronavirus between January and April. 74% had no underlying disease, and more than 70% were aged…
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Baby of rare endangered species born at Chon Buri zoo
Members of the rare endangered tapir species have welcomed a new little member at a zoo in Sri Racha district of Chon Buri province. Although some think tapirs look like pigs with small trunks, they are actually related to horses and rhinos. The new tapir baby was born last month in Khao Kheo Open Zoo, although his birth was only…
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As night venues reopen, Phuket officials on their toes
As Thailand’s bars and nightclubs reopen (until midnight ‘officially’) in 31 provinces, Phuket officials are still on their toes about Covid-19. This week, Phuket officials inspected night venues in the island province’s city area of Phuket Town. Vice Governor Pichet Panaphong, along with Phuket City Police and others officials, visited venues around the Nimit Circle (well known as Seahorse Circle),…
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“Cases could reach 10,000 a day again”. Thai Public Health Minister.
Thailand’s party-pooper-in-chief, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has made another spurious claim to Thailand’s media. He’s predicted that Thailand’s Covid infections could soar to 10,000, a day, now that Thailand’s nightlife has ‘officially’ reopened. He said that the numbers of new coronavirus cases could “soar” within 3-5 days after the country’s entertainment venues were given the official nod on June…
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Don’t forget Bangkok’s first real Pride parade tomorrow
In case you didn’t know, Bangkok will hold its first real Pride parade tomorrow (Sunday), Bangkok Naruemit Pride, as a celebration of Thailand’s LGBT+ community. The parade is set to start at 4pm at Maha Uma Devi Temple, a Hindu temple sometimes called ‘Wat Khaek’ or ‘South Asian temple’ in Thai slang. The temple is located on Pan Road and…
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How Thailand is shifting to aged care in the home
Thailand’s ageing society is growing rapidly, with a quarter of Thais who are 60 years and older forecasted to account for one-third of the population by 2040. Despite expectations that the country would see a rapid escalation of assisted living and nursing homes being developed, COVID-19 became a game-changer. While traditionally many Thais have lived and grown up in multigenerational…
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An Introduction to Buddhism and Meditation in Thailand for Foreigners
Have you ever wanted to visit a temple in Thailand and learn more about Thai buddhism and meditation in English? No matter who you are or what you have been through, iMONASTRY teaches you about the benefits of meditation and provides you with an opportunity to be ordained as a monk, with a possibility of an ongoing visa. …
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Illegal Burmese immigrants arrested in connection with local man’s death
Police arrested more than 100 illegal immigrants yesterday as they ramped up an investigation into the murder of local man Maddol Binson. The 40 year old, from Hat Yai district in Songkla, was found in a freshly dug shallow grave in a forest beside a golf course near his home on Wednesday morning. His hands were tied behind his back,…
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Phuket governor reverses decision easing mask-wearing
Easy come, easy go. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew today reversed yesterday’s mask-wearing easing order, insisting people must wear a mask in all public places even if they are practicing social distancing measures. Only yesterday the governor relaxed all measures saying healthy people could to take off their face masks while in open-air places, beaches, public parks and stadiums, as part of…
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World Health Organisation says two-thirds of population has Covid-19 antibodies
The World Health Organisation says over two-thirds of the population will have significant Covid-19 antibodies, thanks to either vaccination or prior infection. The WHO cited a summary of global studies that shows the rate of seroprevalence jumped from 16% in February 2021 to 67% in October. According to a Bloomberg report, officials say that the rapid spread of the Omicron…
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Gunman in Oklahoma shooting killed surgeon treating him for back pain
A gunman who shot 4 people dead at a hospital in the US state of Oklahoma wanted to kill the surgeon who’d operated on him. The perpetrator, Michael Louis, blamed Preston Phillips for back pain he was experiencing following the surgery, say local police. According to an AFP report, Louis stormed the Saint Francis hospital building in search of Dr…
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Heard’s lawyer says actress unable to pay Depp more than US$10 million in damages
Following a court ruling that, for the most part, went against her, Amber Heard’s lawyer says the Hollywood actress is unable to pay her ex-husband over US$10 million in damages. On Wednesday, the jury in a defamation trial held in the southern US state of Virginia found both Heard and Depp guilty of defaming each other, but ruled far more…
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Budget bill boost to government
PM Prayut Chan o cha’s government received a boost today when Parliament passed the first reading of an almost 3.2 trillion baht draft budget bill for the 2023 fiscal year starting October 1. After a 3-day debate, the bill passed with 278 votes in favour, 194 against, and two abstentions. Pm Prayut says the bill will help the nation restore…
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Student association at Mahidol University decides to end “sexist” beauty pageant
The Mahidol University Student Association has decided to put an end to an in-house beauty pageant that judges contestants solely on their looks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the human rights activist Wasan Paileeklee supports the decision, saying students can now focus on organising competitions that reward intellectual ability, provided these meet with public approval. “The beauty contests may…
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Taiwan battles Covid infection spike as it continues to re-open borders
Taiwan is currently Asia’s Covid-19 hotspot, following years of keeping the Covid variants at bay. The island-nation’s relaxation of travel curbs has fuelled a record spike in new infections. Taiwan began the process of prying open its borders in March, initially allowing business and essential travellers to enter the island. They were welcomed with quarantine in a hotel or state quarantine…
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Is Thailand famous for coffee and is Thai coffee good?
PRESS RELEASE Thailand now ranks in the top 15 coffee exporters of coffee in the world. Thai coffee was never really known, but in recent years, international recognition for Thai coffee has rapidly increased. And this time, Thailand isn’t just known for Robusta coffee beans but also Arábica coffee beans. To date, Thailand still exports very little coffee as most…
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Outdoor mask rules eased in Phuket, new Bangkok governor says capital may follow
UPDATE: Since this story was published, the Phuket Governor has cancelled orders to reduce the mask wearing requirements in Phuket. Read about that HERE. ORIGINAL STORY: Phuket has eased some of its mask-wearing requirements for people not at risk of serious illness as a result of Covid-19. People no longer need to wear face masks while outdoors in open-air spaces,…
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Government official expects Thailand’s first monkeypox case to happen at Pride Parade
A government official expects Thailand to record its first monkeypox case on Sunday at the nation’s first official Pride Parade in Bangkok. The Bangkok Naruemit Pride Parade, which will traverse the length of Silom Road, starts at Maha Uma Devi Temple on Pan Road, at 4pm. The parade plans to bring together the LGBTQ community, activists and allies, and help further…
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Thai authorities say 12 people who were in contact with monkeypox are low-risk
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control says 12 people who came into contact with a confirmed monkeypox patient earlier this week are low-risk, since they don’t have symptoms. A passenger with monkeypox was in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport for 2 hours before he caught a flight to Australia, where he was confirmed to have the virus. The DDC said today that there…
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Energy crisis will continue for 2 years says Bangkok Bank VP
The Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to be a political football as energy prices rise throughout the world. Russia is the world’s second highest exporter of crude oil after Saudi Arabia and accounts for around 10% of global petroleum production. International Energy Agency figures for December 2021 reveal the former Soviet state’s oil exports were 7.8 million barrels a day. But since…
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Thai AirAsia X launches cheap flights between Bangkok and Seoul, South Korea
Thailand’s airline Thai AirAsia X has launched flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport in South Korea. The route will take place 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The first flight on the new route landed in Seoul yesterday, June 1. To celebrate the launch, the airline is offering return flights from Bangkok to…
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Woman feared prison if she took photos of burglary due to new PDPA law
A Thai woman witnessed thieves break into a neighbour’s house but didn’t take any pictures of the burglars for fear of going to prison under the new Personal Data Protection Act. The 23 year old admitted she was too scared to take photos of the criminals’ faces because she was afraid of being sued under the new PDPA law which…
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Foreign tourist breaks into bank, goes on rampage in northern Thailand
A foreign tourist broke into a Bangkok Bank branch in Pai in the northern province of Mae Hong Son yesterday evening. He smashed his way through several glass doors with rocks and proceeded to cause significant damage to the bank’s property. Police detained him and discovered he was illegally residing in the kingdom. A foreigner named Kent Douglas Meades –…
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