Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, September 21
Jet Airways bomb-scare in BKK | Ofo launching share-bike around Phuket Town on October 1 | PSU safe sex project packs 25,000 condoms | Orange is the new black… Toyota | Chinese FM backs Myanmar at UN | Krabi’s prosecutor files case over July’s Krabi massacre.
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Yingluck’s verdict a week away. Probably without Yingluck.
Police anticipate that 300 to 400 supporters will travel to the Supreme Court in Bangkok next Wednesday, when a verdict in the case against fugitive ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be read, almost certainly in her absence. The Metropolitan Police Bureau will take care of security around the court compound on the day without asking for additional forces from other…
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Phuket share-bike kicks off
The bicycle provider for the share bikes project, Ofo, announced today (September 20) that their company, with the help of Phuket local government, are ready to release the first phase of 1,000 bicycles for the project. From October 1 for one month, Ofo will also offer free rides as a starting gift promotion for the project. Noppadol Tujinda, General Manager…
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Roll out of Royal Commemorative Banknotes
Citizens on Wednesday began exchanging old banknotes for new commemorative ones honouring His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The commemorative notes will continue to be available at banks for exchanging and will also be automatically issued in ATM cash withdrawals. The Bank of Thailand has produced a sufficient number of the notes to keep them in general circulation. There…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, September 20
Flame jellyfish stinging a few swimmers at Nai Harn | Ministry of Labour poised to review Thai-only jobs | Royal Thai Navy on alert for Rohingya boat-people | 40 women from Baan Koh Raed complaining about media ‘image’ | 19 year old and his mother been fined for potty-mouth spray at police.
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Review of ‘Thai-only’ jobs being proposed
The Ministry of Labour will hold a public hearing on a proposal to review the rules and regulations on 39 jobs currently reserved for Thai nationals. The meeting would discuss jobs, currently reserved for Thai’s only, to be made available for foreigners. Waranont Pitiwan, director of the Department of Employment, said most Thais are now not interested in many of…
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Ex-Miss Teen Thailand caught with drugs in home raid
Actress and former Miss Teen Thailand Amelia “Amy” Jacobs and her boyfriend were arrested early on Tuesday morning in Bangkok on drug charges, police announced at a press conference. 28 year old Amelia and 40 year old Poonyawat Hirantecha were arrested at a house in Sai Mai district at about 12.30am. Police seized 70 grams of crystal meth amphetamine, or…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, September 19
Two men arrested in Buri Ram over molestation of 9 year old girl | Some of Phuket’s troublesome monkeys on the move | Thai PM visiting central Thailand for talks with locals | Mega drug crackdown has netted astonishing amounts of drugs in 2017 | Big win for the Big Mango in the Business Traveller Awards 2017.
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Two suspects in their 50s arrested over sexual molestation of a 9 year old
From The Nation A nine year old Buri Ram schoolgirl, who allegedly was sexually molested for nearly two years by two motorcycle taxi drivers, was admitted to a rehabilitation program yesterday. The two suspects, both in their 50s, had been reportedly hired by the grandmother, with whom the girl was staying, to take her to and from school. The enrolment…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, September 18
Two more arrested over Phang Nga rape case | Australian woman dies after ignoring red flags on Kamala Beach | Border controls on the look out for cigarette/alcohol smuggling after excise increases | 1,100 lone children cross the border into Bangladesh | Lonely Planet report pilot ‘Upcycling’ program on Koh Samet.
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Upcycling the Oceans – sustainable solutions for Thailand’s ocean plastic
Photo from Marca España Thailand says it will be the first Asian country to join a global initiative to clean up its oceans and waterways around Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Phuket. Lonely Planet reports that Upcycling the Oceans is an effort spearheaded by the Ecoalf Foundation. The projects gets local fishermen removing plastic from the waters. Once collected,…
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Doksuri dumping on north-east Thailand
From The Nation Tropical storm Doksuri has weakened into a depression and unleashed heavy downpours in several North-eastern and Northern provinces on Friday night, resulting in floods in many provinces yesterday morning. Other provinces were making preparations yesterday in expectation of more rain. The Thai Meteorological Depart-ment reported that Doksuri was downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm when…
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UPDATE – What the new tax increases mean for you
Update from The Nation New excise taxes have affected prices across industries ranging from beverages to cars, with the new tax regime causing higher prices for some items but lower prices for others. The Excise Department expects to collect additional tax revenue of 12 billion Bt from the changes. New excise taxes will cause “moderate” rises in the prices of…
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Major tax hike for alcohol and cigarettes
A new excise tax rates effective starting Saturday, September 16, hits alcoholic beverages hard. The rates, published in the Royal Gazette, adjust the tax rate for beer to 22 per cent of retail price and 430 Bt per litre of alcoholic content For wine made from grapes, the tax rate is 1,500 Bt per litre of alcoholic content for a…
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September 30 – Final day to pay respects
The Royal Household Bureau is allowing people to pay their respects to HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej before his Royal Urn inside the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall only until the end of this month. The bureau announced the decision yesterday, citing the need to prepare for the Royal Cremation Ceremonies that will be held next month. Reigning over…
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The mopping up starts in the wake of ‘Doksuri’ in Vietnam
Typhoon Doksuri battered the central coastal areas of Vietnam with strong winds and heavy rains today, causing electrical blackouts, damage to houses and trees being uprooted and thrown around like toothpicks. The high winds prompted mass evacuations after officials had predicted it could be the ‘most powerful storm in a decade’ to hit Vietnam. The typhoon made landfall on the…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, September 15
Flooding around Phuket whilst Typhoon ‘Doksuri’ slams into Vietnam | Patong Tunnel underway next year – maybe | Bomb attacks in Yala kill two | And Thais welcome the ‘departure’ of the TM6 Immigration Form.
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UPDATE – Typhoon ‘Doksuri’ about to hit Vietnam’s coast
DATELINE: 8.50am Thai Time • Typhoon Doksuri reaching the coast of Vietnam around midday today. Gusts up to 125 kph. • At least 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate in Vietnam as Typhoon Doksuri approaches. • A quarter-million soldiers are on standby for what may be Vietnam’s worst storm in a decade. • Doksuri killed four and left six…
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Thais – goodbye TM6 Immigration Form. Foreigners – new form on the way.
From The Nation Good news for travellers: starting Saturday, September 16 Thai nationals do not need to fill out the TM6 immigration form when leaving or returning to Thailand, said Government Spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd on Thursday. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) used Article 44 to order the policy…
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Double bomb attack in Yala injures nineteen
Nineteen rangers, soldiers and police officers were injured this morning (September 14) when insurgents in southern Yala province launched a double bomb attack. Rangers patrolling Moo 1 village in Tambon Katong in Yaha were ambushed in the first attack at 9.26am and briefly exchanged gunfire with the assailants. Two rangers – Sgt Thanet Puttho and Pvt Avudh Uppapong – were…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, September 14
New eco-tourism area for Phuket | AMLO chasing ex-PM Thaksin’s son | Bangkok ATM exploded opened with TNT | Radio Free Asia silenced in Cambodia | Tropical storm Doksuri heading our way affecting our weather this weekend.
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US Ambassador Glyn Davies gives his support for this weekend’s beach clean
US Ambassador to Thailand, Glyn Davies Phuket’s biggest beach clean up is on this weekend with hotels around the island hosting many of the beach cleaning efforts along with locals and expats. You’re invited. Keep Phuket Clean “ภูเก็ตสวยด้วยมือและใจเรา” has been initiated by the Phuket Hotels Association’s Environmental & Sustainability Working Group members and supported by Phuket’s Governor and TAT Phuket:…
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The AMLO files complaints against Thaksin’s son, Panthongtae
The Anti Money Laundering Organisation is filing a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation against Panthongtae Shinawatra, the son of fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, in a money-laundering case connected with the multi-billion-baht loan fraud linked to the state-owned Krungthai Bank. The AMLO says Panthongtae allegedly received a 10 million Baht cheque from a staff member of the Krisada Mahanakorn…
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Truck driver killed in Surat Thani crash
A drive was killed after his 18 wheel trailer truck went off the road and crashed into a palm tree in Surat Thani’s Phra Saeng district early Wednesday, police said. Police said the accident happened on a road in Ban Khuan Sawang village in Tambon Sai Khueng. The truck driver was identified as 44 year old Eng Muangkaew. Police said…
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California’s Fresno Police release video of the difficult recovery
Fresno County has released video clip of the September 1 operation to retrieve bodies of two Thai students who died in a road accident at the King River in California. The 5 minute video shows different stages of the recovery operation conducted by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team. They say it took a total of eight hours…
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Major narcotics sting reveals 27 drug networks
A crackdown on 27 drug-dealing networks across Thailand has delivered 734 arrests and the confiscation of a huge amount of illicit drugs. This, according to the Royal Thai Police’s Narcotics Control Coordinating Center. The stings all took place between September 2 – 11. The suspects included 15 alleged narcotics producers, 52 alleged drugs distributors and 256 persons accused of having…
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Show and tell – Governor in BKK to promote Phuket Street Food
Phuket’s Governor attended a press conference regarding the Phuket Street Food Festival 2017 in Central World Mall, Bangkok. The events will take place during the green season on September 16 and 17 at the 72nd Anniversary Commemoration of Queen Sirikit Public Park in Phuket Town. Phuket is one of 18 cities across the globe that are given the special title…
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Narcotics police nab Bangkok drug kingpin
Narcotics suppression police have raided the Bangkok house of a suspected drug boss, who is a registered taxi motorcycle driver, seized two cars, 2 million Baht and a bank account book with transactions totalling some 60 million Baht. Jirat Pensophon was arrested early Tuesday morning at a house in the Casa Ville Rajapruek housing estate on Rajapruek Road in Nonthaburi’s…
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Ironman 70.3 Thailand returns to Phuket
Triathletes from around the world are heading to Phuket for a weekend of swim-bike-run where 1,500 competitors from more than 60 countries are expected to compete in the Foremost IRONMAN 70.3 Thailand on November 26, and up to 300 youngsters in the Foremost IRONKIDS Thailand. Built on the belief that Anything is Possible®, IRONMAN – the original triathlon brand –…
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200 kilograms of Kratom seized in Hat Yai
Police arrested a 32 year old drug suspect and seized a stash of 200 kilograms of fresh kratom leaves and 2,000 bottles of cough syrup in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district today (September 11). Following a tip-off, Hat Yai’s deputy superintendent Pol Lt Colonel Ranon Surawit led a raid on a rented house in Tambon Kuan Lang and seized 300,000 Baht…
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