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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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    Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained

    Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...

  • Rawai Cultural Street Festival to be held at Phromthep Cape

    Rawai Cultural Street Festival to be held at Phromthep Cape

    Make it a date: August 29 & 30. The Rawai Municipality will hold a Rawai Cultural Street Festival at the end of this month. Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos has announced that the Rawai Cultural Street Fair will be held from August 29-30 at Promthep Cape at the southern end of the island. Mayor Aroon says, “This festival is to encourage…

  • Australian police detain five Thai nationals involved in human trafficking

    Australian police detain five Thai nationals involved in human trafficking

    Human trafficking from Thailand to Australia’s capital city, Canberra, is under investigation after raids on Fyshwick brothels (massage parlours) this week. An Thai-Australian woman has been charged and five Thai nationals detained over immigration offences as a result of simultaneous raids on ‘escort agencies’ in Fyshwick, Canberra, this week. The Canberra Times has reported that a Canberra court has heard one…

  • HM The King thanks Lao people for their assistance in the Tham Luang rescue

    HM The King thanks Lao people for their assistance in the Tham Luang rescue

    FILE PHOTO His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun has sent a letter to the Lao President, Bounnhang Vorachit, to thank the Lao people for their participation in the rescue to retrieve 13 young footballers from the Tham Luang caves in Mae Sai district. In the letter, His Majesty referred to the incident, in which the boys and their coach from…

  • Fire destroys bedding warehouse in Rassada

    Fire destroys bedding warehouse in Rassada

    A fire has destroyed a bedding warehouse in Rassada this morning (August 16). Two dogs were reported to have died in the blaze. The Phuket City Police were notified of the incident at 4am this morning in the in Soi Pruyai, 500 metres from the main SuperCheap store in Rassada. Firefighters arrived with five fire engines to find the fire…

  • Fix Bangkok’s traffic within 3 months – Thai PM

    Fix Bangkok’s traffic within 3 months – Thai PM

    Thai PM Prayut has instructed police stations to help with efforts to ease Bangkok’s severe road congestion problems within three months. The PM says that relevant technology must be adopted to help control and manage traffic flow, especially during peak hours. “The government can’t deny the responsibility of easing traffic problems.” He was speaking during a visit to the Traffic Police…

  • Body found floating off Kata Beach identified as Surat Thani man

    Body found floating off Kata Beach identified as Surat Thani man

    The body of a man who is believed to be from Surat Thani was found floating just off Kata beach yesterday (August 15). Back on Monday evening, Karon Police were alerted about a tourist who was missing. A search was launched and kept going until midnight. Read more HERE. Karon Police were then notified yesterday from locals that a body…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Will he or won’t he? Thai PM will announce his intentions soon.

    Will he or won’t he? Thai PM will announce his intentions soon.

    PHOTO: The Nation The election looms but, at this stage, there is no confirmed date and the elephant in the room – will General Prayut turn politician and run for a seat in the new Government – is yet to be addressed. Pressed yesterday he repeated his past ambiguous remarks. The PM yesterday reiterated his promise to clarify his political…

  • The moral police want to ban students being together, anytime, anywhere.

    The moral police want to ban students being together, anytime, anywhere.

    Thailand’s ‘fun police’, under directions from the Thai government, are attempting to stop students doing… well, what students and young people do, anytime! Manager Online reports that, not just content with forbidding Thai teenagers enjoying the company of the opposite sex in public and banning wandering about at night, new measures have been proposed by the Ministry of Education (now endorsed…

  • Black-out in parts of Patong tomorrow

    Black-out in parts of Patong tomorrow

    Some residents in Patong are being warned that the Patong Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has a scheduled blackout in parts of Patong from 9am to 5pm tomorrow (August 16). They say the interruption to electricity services is necessary to work on high-voltage power lines. The affected area include Sirirat Road from Phuket Simon Cabaret to the Front Village Hotel. The…

  • Yanui the crocodile has her DNA tests today

    Yanui the crocodile has her DNA tests today

    Veterinarians from Mahidol University took blood from ‘Yanui’ the crocodile for DNA testing this morning. The results of Yanui’s precise species will have to wait for about two weeks. Today (August 15), at the Phuket Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre in Pa Khlok, officials and Veterinary staff visited Yanui to take blood samples for DNA testing. No microchip has…

  • Government tackles electronic waste at local level

    Government tackles electronic waste at local level

    Electronic waste has become a major environmental problem in Thailand, such that the Government is now getting Tambon chiefs and kanmans to help educate locals and tackle the problem at the community level. At a deserted factory outside Bangkok, skyscrapers made from vast blocks of crushed printers, Xbox components and TVs tower over black rivers of smashed-up computer screens. This is a…

  • Phoenix boat owner’s lawyer calls for ‘fairness’

    Phoenix boat owner’s lawyer calls for ‘fairness’

    The lawyer of the owner of Phoenix filed a letter to the Phuket Provincial Police Commander for ‘fairness’ in legal action being taken against the boat’s owner. At the Phuket Provincial Police Station the lawyers for the boat owner, Nalin Intarasombat and Nipit Intarasombat, spoke to the press after handing a letter to Phuket’s Police Commander. Lawyer Nipit says, “the boat owner…

  • Mong Tongdee’s hopes of citizenship are looking up

    Mong Tongdee’s hopes of citizenship are looking up

    PHOTO: Thai PBS Nine years ago young Mong Thongdee was a smart 12 year old kid living in northern Thailand with a special skill. He was an expert at making, and flying, paper planes. His story, and his battle to go over seas to represent Thailand, made headlines when it was found that he was just one of thousands of…

  • Phoenix will rise again… today

    Phoenix will rise again… today

    Divers and engineers attempting to bring Phoenix up to the surface yesterday say they were struggling with strong underwater currents yesterday (August 14). So the anticipated rise of the Phoenix had to be postponed. They say they were hoping to attach the last hook yesterday morning but the currents were making things difficult for the underwater salvage team. The boat was expected…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Insurance may not cover the pick-up/super car rear-ender

    Insurance may not cover the pick-up/super car rear-ender

    A leading insurance spokesman has commented with Daily News after a 30 million baht McLaren 720s was rear ended by a pick-up truck. (The Thaiger priced the car at 15 million baht after emailing a McLaren salesperson) Thai Insurance Association chief Jeeraphon Atsawathanakul said that if both drivers went down the insurance route the insurance would only cover the agreed…

  •  New Phuket governor arrives October 1

    New Phuket governor arrives October 1

    The New Phuket Governor will start to work on the island on October 1 while the current governor Norraphat Plodthong will be finishing at the end of next month. The cabinet has approved the new Phuket governor to replace current Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong who will be retiring this September 30. The new Phuket governor, Pakkapong Tawipat, is the current…

  • Jeans and T-shirts banned for Government House journalists and photographers

    Jeans and T-shirts banned for Government House journalists and photographers

    PHOTO: A group of Thai journalists and photographers learning how to put on a tie Tatty old jeans and a T-shirt – OK for a night out in Sukhumvit but not good enough when attending pressers with the Thai PM. If you want to attend media conferences or take photos of junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, then you need to…

  • Gang violence flares up at a pub, ends up at hospital – Chiang Mai

    Gang violence flares up at a pub, ends up at hospital – Chiang Mai

    PHOTOS: Sanook Two gangs of young people went at it late into last night in Chiang Mai. When all the dust had settled one victim was recovering at the Chiang Mai Medical Centre. Sanook is reporting that the trouble started outside a pub in the Nimmanhaemin area of the city. A 21 year old was taken to Chiang Mai Medical Centre…

  • Tourists give a thumbs-down to the ‘new’ Khao San Road

    Tourists give a thumbs-down to the ‘new’ Khao San Road

    PHOTO: The Nation “You are destroying the life and soul of the city – and we are not coming back!” Take that BMA! as tourists give a big thumbs down and slap in the face to authorities who have tried to sanitise the trashy tourist magnet. For decades Khao San Road has been a mecca for back-packers and tourists looking for…

  • One rescued, one dead, one missing in Phuket surf

    One rescued, one dead, one missing in Phuket surf

    Nai Harn lifeguards have rescued a male Chinese tourist from the surf whilst another female Chinese tourists was later found dead on the beach. Another one was also reported missing at Karon beach yesterday (August 13). Lifeguards at Nai Harn Beach were notified at 7pm after finishing work that two swimmers were having trouble in the surf. Two lifeguards went…

  • Emergency water shut off hits Kamala

    Emergency water shut off hits Kamala

    The Phuket Water Authority (PWA) says that water supply in some areas of in Kamala will be shut off today (August 14) as the mains pipe broke earlier this morning. The mains have been shut off from 11am until repair works can be completed. The PWA says that water supply in some areas of Kamala will be shutoff while work is being…

  • Rise of the Phoenix – sunken tour boat to be raised today

    Rise of the Phoenix – sunken tour boat to be raised today

    Attempts to salvage the Phoenix have been struggling with the recent strong winds and waves. It’s hoped that the boat will be raised by the end of today (August 14). The owner of Phoenix failed to recover their boat after it sank on July 5, which resulted in 47 Chinese tourists drowning. The company that owns the boat will now be sued for…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday

    Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Renewed demands to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos in Thailand

    Renewed demands to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos in Thailand

    Despite years of completely conflicting evidence, on both sides, and even the World Health Organisation coming up with its wobbly ‘probably carcinogenic’ finding, glysophate (RoundUp), and two other herbicides and pesticides used in Thailand, are coming under renewed fire. Thai activists are planning to launch lawsuits against local policymakers for their failure to ban three key agri-chemicals in Thailand, following…

  • Ouch! Pickup collides into 15 million baht car

    Ouch! Pickup collides into 15 million baht car

    If you’re going to collide with another vehicle your best bet is a small dent on a Honda Jazz or Toyota – cars which have lots of cheap spare parts around. And no one harmed of course. Just don’t crash into one of these. Dash cam footage from a road in Bang Pakong, halfway between Bangkok and Pattaya, shows a…

  • The battle of Phuket’s boat shows

    The battle of Phuket’s boat shows

    Phuket’s next boat show season has hit stormy seas with the proposed new Thailand Yacht Show Rendezvous being ambushed by a revitalised ‘PIMEX’, now called the Phuket Yacht Show.

  • Thailand takes over the chair for ASEAN next year. What’s at stake?

    Thailand takes over the chair for ASEAN next year. What’s at stake?

    “As Thailand takes over the ASEAN chairmanship next year, it is important for the country to drive ASEAN forward to achieve the utmost benefits for Thais and peoples across the ASEAN region.” The integration story of Southeast Asian nations, widely known as ASEAN, began in 1967 and has since brought about significant changes to the Southeast Asian region. For decades,…

  • Protesters demand removal of the court-owned properties on Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai

    Protesters demand removal of the court-owned properties on Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai

    The fight over the Doi Suthep houses, deemed illegal several months ago, has taken a new tack over the weekend with an approach to the Department of Agriculture in Chiang Rai to build new offices and housing for judges there. But Doi Suthep protesters that’s not good enough. They say that the resolution to build new offices and residences for the…