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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Thailand’s aviation industry passes international inspections
A pass mark, maybe a C+. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) told Thai aviation officials have scored 65.07%, exceeding the minimum pass mark of 60%. Thailand only scored 34.2% when it received a ‘red flag’ four years ago. The score has been awarded after ICAO officials carried out a full inspection of Thailand’s civil aviation standards The inspections were…
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Democrats cancel meeting to decide if they will join coalition
The posturing between Democrats and Palang Pracharat continues as a call for key ministerial positions by the Democrats is being met with resistance. The Democrats are threatening to pull out of a potential coalition with Palang Pracharat after cancelling a meeting yesterday where members were to decide if they’d join the pro-army alliance. A Democrat source says that there is still…
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Villagers taken in under martial law for questioning over Yala shoot-out, Southern Thailand
PHOTO: Charoon Thongnual Security officials have interrogated 18 people living near the site of this week’s clash between soldiers and suspected insurgents in Yala’s Yaha district. “They were brought in for questioning under martial law as authorities intend to go after the unidentified gunmen in Monday’s clash,” a source said yesterday. The Nation reports that the gunfight lasted several hours…
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American Alzheimer’s patient, living in Thailand, heads to The Philippines
PHOTOS: Thaivisa “Mum is doing OK. She keeps forgetting who I am. But we must live completely in the moment with Alzheimer’s, and stay happy.” In an exclusive interview with Thaivisa, the daughter of the Alzheimer’s patient who claimed that her 77 year old mother was forced out of Thailand by new immigration rules, sent Thaivisa photos of their departure.…
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Buri Ram villagers urged not to harm wild elephants
FILE PHOTO Buri Ram provincial officials are asking villagers living near a Thai national reserve forest not to harm wild animals, including elephants, that may wander out of the forest. Officials say they’ve spotted a large herd of 32 wild elephants in the Krapod mountain, part of the restricted area. Sa Saengsawang, the director of the province’s national resources and…
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Day 2 of Samui Regatta 2019. A beautiful day, unless you’re a sailor.
The best laid plans… The breeze was on early this morning as the race management left the beach. The plan: head straight out off Chaweng Beach and lay a startline. Leaving the “shelter” of the bay, the wind died off the further they went out. A few nautical miles off shore and everyone joined in the waiting game. Meanwhile close…
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Two arrested in Nakhon Sawan attempting to smuggle over 4 million meth pills
PHOTO: The Nation Two Kanchanaburi men have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 4,459,000 methamphetamine pills from the North to central regions. The Narcotics Suppression Bureau chief held a press conference to announce the arrest of 32 year old Weerachon Inpiam and 23 year old Thanapol Jaihor. Chinnaphat said police have seized 4,459,000 methamphetamine pills and frozen the two…
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Chinese tourist injured as suspects snatch bag in Rawai, Phuket – VIDEO
Suspects have now been rounded up and are in custody after allegedly snatching a bag from a Chinese tourist who was walking in Rawai, south of Phuket, last week. The Chinese tourist was injured in the fracas. The Chalong Police were notified of the incident on a road near Rawai beach last week. As the tourist was walking along the…
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ASEAN group calls for end of judicial ‘harassment’ of Thai MPs
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, based in Jakarta, is calling on Thai authorities to end what they describe as harassment of the Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. They’ve also asked the ruling Junta to stop their efforts to undermine anti-military parties in the new Thai parliament. Charles Santiago, Chair of APHR and a Member of Parliament in Malaysia…
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Patong municipality reports untreated wastewater from Kalim hotel to police – VIDEO
VIDEO: Bong Marquez The video of the untreated wastewater bursting on Kalim beach on Sunday afternoon has caused an official report made to Patong police. A Facebook user “Bong Marquez” posted a video of the black water gurgling up through the sands at Kalim Beach and into the Patong Bay on Sunday. The video has had 230,000 views. Patong’s…
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Democrats and Bhumjaithai offered deputy PM and cabinet positions
PHOTO: Apichit Jinakul Close, but not quite. Palang Pracharath Party paid a visit to Democrat party leaders yesterday with presents of cabinet portfolios that they are offering the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties if they were to join the pro-Army coalition. The Bhumjaithai Party says they’ve already pledged allegiance to Palang Pracharat, but with four key caveats. Sources say the Palang…
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Port fire damage exceeds 100 million baht
by Pratch Rujivanarom Thailand Port Authority director Kamolsak Phromprayoon says that losses from the huge fire and chemical spill at Laem Chabang Seaport on Saturday are estimated to be more than 100 million baht, while environmental campaigners are urging authorities to demand compensation from the people responsible for carrying the undisclosed hazardous chemicals. On Saturday morning toxic chemical cargo onboard…
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Tourist Police raid the C Ekkamai condo to arrest people running rooms as ‘hotel’ – Bangkok
PHOTO: Thai Tourist Police Bureau page on Facebook Follow up to a story last week where residents of a condo tower in Bangkok were complaining that many of the rooms were being run as a quasi-hotel. The Thai Tourist Police Bureau sent 40 officialst to the luxury Bangkok condominium. The raid was actually last Thursday, three days after the story…
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Lee Kuan Yew’s grandson marries same sex partner in South Africa
by The Star – Asia News Network The grandson of the late Singapore PM Lee Kuan Yew, Li Huanwu, has married his “soul mate” in Cape Town, South Africa. This was revealed by Li’s partner, Heng Yirui, who made the announcement on his personal Instagram account. “Today I marry my soul mate. Looking forward to a lifetime of moments like this with…
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About 100 Burmese teenagers with knives gather near Patong beach
About 100 Burmese teenagers armed with knives were gathered near Patong’s beach in Loma Park just after midnight (Monday). A Facebook page “Baywatch team Patong & Patong development foundation” posted photos with a message reading “Just after midnight there were two parties including about 100 Burmese teenagers who gathered at Loma park with short knives and long knives. ” “Baywatch…
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Pattaya officials looking to limit pet ownership
Pattaya Mail are reporting that there’s been a renewed push to limit the number of pets residents can keep and make registration compulsory in Pattaya. Pattaya’s deputy mayor Manote Nongyai chaired a May 21 meeting on new regulations governing the keeping and registration of dogs and cats. The proposals are based on a Public Health Department memo from February 2016…
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Landlady posts photos of a Bangkok rented apartment after a nine year lease
PHOTOS: Nathalie Ruangdet Firstly, put down whatever you’re eating. A landlady has vented her grief online to show the results of a nine year tenant who had vacated the property in Ramkhamhaeng, Bangkok. Sanook reports that he had left the key with security and needed his deposit back. Nathalie Ruangdet, the landlady, went round to check the property. She says that…
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Taxi driver injured – stabbed by his colleague in Mai Khao, Phuket
A taxi driver was injured after being stabbed by his colleague at a company headquarters in Mai Khao yesterday. The Sakoo Police were notified of the incident at a company in Mai Khao yesterday. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the injured 46 year old Sangwarn Panin. He was taken to the Thalang Hospital. 36 years…
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Thailand’s pro-army party hopes to seal deal with Democrats and Bhumjaithai today
PHOTO: The Nation Palang Pracharat, the political party supporting Thailand’s Junta, is hoping it can complete negotiations and make a deal today to which would see it with enough parliamentary seats to keep Prayut Chan-o-cha in power as prime minister. This analysis from a lawmaker who is a board member of the Palang Pracharat party in a Reuters article. The…
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Structures on Nui and Freedom beaches in Phuket to be demolished
Illegal structures on Nui and Freedom beaches in Phuket are to be demolished after officers seized encroached land in parts of the Narkerd Reserve Forest. Nui Beach (not to be confused with Ya Nui Beach) is north of Nai Harn Beach. Freedom Beach is north of the beach in front of Le Meridien Hotel (maps below). The investigation follows officers…
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Fishing trawler capsizes off Phang Nga in local storm cell
An isolated Saturday night storm cell off Phang Nga capsized a fishing trawler. The entire crew, about 30 or so people, were rescued soon after. The kamnan of Lam Kaen tambon in Tai Muang district, Umakorn Phaeyai, said this morning the mishap occurred 20 nautical miles offshore. She said the crew of the 53 tonne Thanakorn 1 waited for rescue…
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The magic disappearing murky and muddy waters of Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach
PHOTOS: Pattaya Message Officials from Chon Buri Municipality says there is no source of wastewater found after inspections along the canals. The video of the untreated sewage and wastewater gushing into the Gulf of Thailand has accumulated 1.5 million views already. Read more and see the video HERE. The ‘stop gap’ solution was a real STOP GAP solution as they rammed…
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Beam me up Phuket – new space theme hotel for the island
A 150 key space themed hotel is under development in Kathu, Phuket, by a Singaporean group . Located close to the Central Festival and Makro complexes, the project is expected to open next year according to a report in TTG Asia. The One Pioneer – Beyond Space Travel hotel say it’s “highly focused on an outer space storyline and will have…
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Former PM Chuan elected speaker of lower house
If the first item on the new parliament’s agenda is any indication, it’s going to be a very dynamic lower house. Things didn’t go smoothly on the first day. Ex-PM Chuan Leekpai, a Democrat candidate proposed by the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat Party, secured 258 votes to 235 for Pheu Thai nominee Sompong Amornvivat. One MP abstained. Some Pheu Thai PMs…
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Bali flights cancelled as Mount Agung stirs again
Mount Agung, Bali’s active volcano, has erupted again, spewing ash and hot lava that ran down 3 km from the crater, causing authorities to cancel flights in and out of Denpasar. Indonesia’s Center of Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) says the eruption was recorded at 19:30 Central Indonesian Time (WITA) and lasted for 4 minutes and 30 seconds. The…
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25 workers injured after container explosion at Laem Chabang Port
At least 25 port workers have been injured and locals evacuated after an explosion in a container on a ship at dock at the Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri, east of Bangkok, this morning. Laem Chabang’s port director Vice Admiral Yutthana Mokkhao says an urgent investigation is being undertaken to determine the contents of the container. The Hong Kong ship…
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Tourist arrivals up, but Chinese down. April 2019 tourist numbers.
The Thai sports and tourism ministry reports that Thailand saw a 3.31% rise in total tourist arrivals in April compared to a year earlier, after a 0.69% decline in March. 3.2 million tourists in April spent about 164 billion baht ($5.15 billion), which is up 3.9% from the month of April in 2018. But visitors from China, Thailand’s biggest feeder…
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80 year old Malaysian tourist dies during Thai massage in Songkhla
PHOTO: Thai Rath A tourist has died during a ‘traditional Thai’ massage in a hotel in Sadao, in the southern province of Songkhla, just across the border from Malaysia. Pol Lt Thanatsak of the Sadao police found the 80 year old Malaysian man dead in his hotel room. He was laying on his bed and clothed in a t-shirt and brown…
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Motorbike rider dies near Rama 5 bridge in Nonthaburi
PHOTOS: Sanook A motorbike rider has died following an incident near the Rama 5 road bridge in Nonthaburi yesterday. The Honda CBR 650 was unrecognisable following the crash, both wheels had been ripped off in the collision. An orange bike helmet was on the road nearby. The head of the rider was found some distance away. The torso of the rider was…
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Dinosaur footprints found in north-eastern national park
PHOTO: Thai PBS Footprints from a dinosaur that inhabited north-eastern Thailand 140 million years ago, have been discovered in the north-east. About a dozen of the footprints are thought to be from a Theropod dinosaur which existed on Earth during the Cretaceous period which stretched from 146 to 65 million years ago. Thai PBS reports that they were found embedded…
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