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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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Sponsored New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
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With all patients recovered, Phuket closes its Covid-19 field hospital
So long, farewell. Phuket, which has had the highest number of Covid-19 infections per capita in Thailand, is closing its first “field hospital” after discharging its final patients. The temporary hospital is closing down, hopefully for good, and will be “put on standby,” as the last patients have recovered, the island’s governor announced yesterday. The building was actually the unfinished new provincial…
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11 dead, 14,000 ill as rainy season worsens dengue fever outbreak in northeast
The onset of Thailand’s rainy season has worsened a nationwide outbreak of dengue fever, which has already killed 11 people and sickened some 14,000, the director-general of the Department of Disease Control announced today. “From January 1 to May 25 there have been 14,126 cases of dengue fever in Thailand, or 21.28 patients per 100,000 population, and 11 deaths. The…
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Returnees from UK found with high fever, hospitalised
Of the 251 Thais who repatriated from the United Kingdom yesterday 20 were found to have high fevers and rushed to hospital, according Suvarnabhumi Airport’s deputy director. “The 251 Thais departed from London on Thai Airways International Flight TG917 and arrived at the airport at 2.20pm. Preliminary screening found that 20 passengers had high fever and they were rushed to…
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LA’s Thai Town hit by protesters and rioters
Thai Town businesses in Los Angeles were raided yesterday as rioters and looters across the US hit the streets, enraged over police brutality after a white police officer killed George Floyd, an African American, by pinning him to the ground, with his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck, restricting his breathing. Protesters in Minneapolis, where the officer patrolled, set the police…
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Quality quarantine options for those who want some luxury
Private state quarantine options are available for those returning to Thailand and willing to pay a hefty price. The 14 day quarantine is required for everyone re-entering the country to prevent any possible spread of the coronavirus, but there are more luxurious options from hotels that have passed the test from the public health and defence ministries. Around 90 guests…
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Southern mayor backs bounty for shark hunt after boy’s foot was bitten
People are searching for a shark after it bit a boy’s foot at the Chebilang pier in the southern province of Satun. The Chebilang mayor Mahmadneesum Bilungload even said he’ll give a cash reward of 1,000 baht to whoever catches the shark. He took a long tail boat out on Saturday afternoon to scope out the scene and try and…
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UPDATE: George Floyd protests spread across the US – curfews imposed
Violence continues to erupt across cities in the US, the 6th night of protests that were sparked by the death in police custody of an African-American, George Floyd. Riot police have clashed with protesters in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Washington and firing tear gas and pepper bullets trying to disperse the crowds. There have been more peaceful…
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Opposition criticises Government for unnecessary borrowing
The Pheu Thai opposition party is calling on the government to look to existing funds first before attempting to borrow a trillion baht from as-yet-unnamed sources. Opposition chief whip Suthin Klangsaeng was participating in the last day of the debate on three government decrees concerning the country’s finances. A Thai PBS World report says the government is under fire for…
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Police identify individuals seeking bribes from Pattaya hotels, no charges filed
Pattaya police say they’ve identified a number of individuals seeking kickbacks from hotels in exchange for being listed as a Covid-19 quarantine facility. However, as none of the hotels involved have filed a complaint, the individuals in question have not been charged. Yet. With hotels across the city shut down as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, some people have…
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Monarchy satire Facebook group under government scrutiny
Police are investigating a popular Facebook group that posts satirical commentary about the Thai royal family. One man was even detained and questioned about his posts on the satire group page, Thai media reports. There was also talk about a few other members questioned, but that has not been confirmed. The group dubbed “Royalist Marketplace” (in Thai) is run by Pavin…
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Officials in Pattaya launch campaign to mark city’s phased re-opening
The mayor of Pattaya has led officials in launching a campaign to mark the phased re-opening of the famous tourist hotspot. Well more of a celebration! Normally hosting millions of tourists every year, Pattaya has been through a tough time during the last few months, with businesses, beaches and all nightlife and hospitality venues shut down due to the impacts…
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Gyms, fitness centres to reopen tomorrow nationwide
As tomorrow marks the beginning of Phase 3 of the easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures, many catgories of businesses will be allowed to fully reopen, though health and social distancing restrictions will remain in place. Fitness centres, including in malls, are included in that list. The reopening will include many new rules and regulations designed to stop the potential spread…
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13 return from South Korea with high fever, rushed to quarantine
A Korean Airlines flight arrived at 9:25pm yesterday at Suvarnabhumi Airport bringing 194 Thais from South Korea. Screening officers found 13 of the passengers with high fever and immediately sent them to hospital. Most of the rest took a bus to a 14 day state quarantine area according to state measures, while 18 went to “alternative state quarantine” at a designated…
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Some Hong Kong passport holders could have a “path to UK citizenship”
Hong Kong, the former British colony that’s been rocked by often violent protests for more than a year, may at last see a ray of hope – for some of its 7 million residents, at least. If China doesn’t suspend its plans for a draconian security law in the largely autonomous territory, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says the UK…
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2 killed after truck slams Phuket power pole – VIDEO
2 men are dead in Phuket after a truck slammed into a roadside power pole on the notorious Kata hill road, just out of Chalong yesterday. Police say the two men killed were a Thai and a Burmese national. The deputy chief of Karon police says the accident occurred at about 4:50pm at the mouth of Soi Suksan 1 on…
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Thailand’s Covid-19 cases (May 31)
Dr Panprapa Yongtrakul, weekend spokesperson of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, told this morning’s press briefing there were 4 new Covid-19 cases but no deaths over the previous 24 hour period. The total number of Covid-19 cases rose to 3,081 since the outbreak began: 2444 domestic cases and 637 returnees from abroad. The 4 new cases were all…
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14 million methamphetamine pills seized in massive Chiang Rai drug haul
Police in Chiang Mai have arrested 2 men and a woman in the province’s Fang district when they found 14 million methamphetamine pills, aka. “yaba”, in one of their 2 vehicles. Officers got a tip on Friday that drugs would be smuggled into the district and set up road checkpoints, according to the deputy national police spokesman. At around 12:30am,…
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Two men die after truck plows into power pole in Phuket
A Thai and Burmese man were killed after a work truck collided with a power pole on Kata hill, southern Phuket yesterday afternoon. The deputy chief of Karon police reported that the incident happened near the turn off onto Soi Suksan 1, on the Chalong side of the hill. The power pole crashed on top of the truck as it fell,…
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Travelling Bangkok’s klongs with Manit
Should you move to Thailand? In this video I interviewed my friend @Christopher Lau , originally from California, USA and got a little insight of his experience behind living in Thailand for two years. Then I took him for the famous canal boat ride in “Klong Saen Saep” Bangkok. By the end of the vlog we had a very delightful…
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Parents wary about school preparations for return to class on July 1
Schools are set to re-open on July but parents, whilst keen to see their children back at school again, are rightly concerned about efforts being taken to keep them safe from Covid-19 infection. Although children worldwide have, generally, been spared the ravages of Covid-19, they are still able to become infected and pass it on to older members of their…
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New rules for Thai cinemas to re-open in Phase 3
As part of Phase 3 of the easing of Emergency Decree restrictions enacted to fight the spread of Covid-19, cinemas will be allowed to reopen on June 1 (though many operators are unlikely to do so as food and drink are their main revenue source and the movie companies say there are currently no new movies to release…) The Centre…
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6 guidelines issued for schools to re-open in July
The government is considering allowing schools in Covid-19 infection-free areas to open in July, and the Public Health Ministry has issued 6 guidelines to schools nationwide on how to guard against the spread of virus among students and faculty once they reopen. The Department of Health’s director-general made the announcement yesterday. “The first point that must be emphasised is preventing…
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Phuket officially reopens Monday, but with restrictions
Phuket is scheduled to reopen to outsiders on Monday, to coincide with the start of Phase 3 of the easing of Emergency Decree restrictions enacted to fight the spread of Covid-19. It will also be a pleasant respite for the islanders who have been cooped up on the island since the last week of March. Phuket’s outgoing governor says his…
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Ambassador calls US “better friend” than China
“Nobody will have to take sides.” US Ambassador to Thailand Michael George DeSombre said in an exclusive interview with Nation Thailand that the US spat with China won’t affect relations in the region and nations will not have to take sides. He expects more American companies to invest in the Kingdom in the coming months and years, and reiterated that…
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Police arrest 21 curfew violators in Phuket, and raid a party in Pattaya
Police in the southern island province of Phuket arrested 21 people last night for violating the national curfew imposed to fight the spread of Covid-19. Teams of officials and volunteers conducting night patrols across the province from 11pm to 4am and found 21 people out during the period without authorisation or justifiable reason. One of them was found possessing some…
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Curfew shortened, malls open longer, but most beaches remain closed
Whooo hoo! A whole extra hour back. The national curfew has been reduced to just fours a night now. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has shortened the night curfew to 11pm – 3am effective from Monday night. Earlier it was thought the CCSA would remove the hour before midnight from the curfew. General Somsak Rungsita, secretary-general of the National…
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National figures for Covid-19 cases in Thailand (May 30)
Today the spokeswomen from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Dr Panprapa Yongtrakul announced just 1 new Covid-19 case. She revealed that the single confirmed case was an imported case from Saudi Arabia – a male Thai student who is now in state quarantine. This raises the national total to 3,077. No additional death reported today leaving the accumulated toll at…
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Nakhon Phanom teacher arrested for sexually abusing niece
Police in Issan’s Nakhon Phanom province yesterday announced the arrest of a teacher for the alleged sexual abuse of his 13 year old niece, who lived with him and his wife. The 52 year old man was taken into custody at his house in the downtown district after a provincial court approved an arrest warrant on Thursday. His name and…
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Government launches vaccination program to fight African Horse Sickness
The first outbreak of African Horse Sickness, aka. African Plague in Asia in half a century, has killed nearly 550 horses in Thailand, but authorities announced yesterday they’re winning the battle. The Department of Livestock Development says it’s speeding up blood tests on zebras nationwide, after experts identified an imported group as the source of the outbreak. Some horse owners…
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Suspect in Phattalung murder commits suicide as police close in
A murder suspect in Thailand’s southern Trang province committed suicide as police moved to arrest him yesterday. Authorities say he was one of three gunmen in the murder of a driver in neighbouring Phatttalung province last year. 40 year old Haron Usen was hiding out with his girlfriend in a house in tambon Bang Sak. Provincial and local police surrounded…
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