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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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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Easier entry for foreign tourists: CCSA approves ATK for on-arrival screening
This story was updated to include a clarification from a government spokesperson who said an incorrect date during a press briefing. Entering Thailand will get a little easier, and a bit cheaper. The CCSA approved the use of rapid antigen tests to screen international arrivals for Covid-19 starting December 16. The ATK method will be replacing the RT-PCR test, meaning…
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Heavy rain, potential flooding in the forecast for Southern Thailand
Eight provinces in Southern Thailand — Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat — have been warned by the Meteorological Department today to prepare for potentially flooding and runoff as heavy rain and strong winds continued in the Gulf of Thailand. The warning will be in effect until Tuesday, according to the weather services, adding…
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Friday Covid Update: 6,559 new cases; provincial totals
64 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,645 with 20,551 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,559 new Covid-19 cases and 6,875 recoveries. There are now 80,277 people in Thailand being…
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Emergency Decree extended until January 31
The Emergency Decree has been extended until January 31, giving the Thai government sweeping powers to impose measures to combat the spread of Covid-19. In its general meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, the CCSA decided to extend the decree due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. The decree was imposed at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and…
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CCSA revises zoning: No more “dark red” zones with nightly curfews
No provinces will be under a mandated nightly curfew starting December 1. The CCSA approved new zoning today, reclassifying several provinces on its colour-coded zoning scale based on Covid-19 infection rates and reopening measures. Under the revised zoning, there are no provinces classified as “dark red” with stay-at-home orders. Kanchanaburi, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani were reclassified as “blue zones,” or…
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Soi Dog Foundation sends over 100 tonnes of dog and cat food for flood relief
The following is a press release from the Soi Dog Foundation. Soi Dog Foundation’s ongoing relief effort for dogs and cats affected by the recent flooding in Central Thailand has seen the amount of food delivered to desperate dogs and cats exceed a whopping 100 tonnes. Following the initial distribution in late September of 64 tonnes of food to flood-affected…
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Public Health Ministry drafts measures for reopening bars next month in 17 provinces
The Public Health Ministry has reportedly drafted measures for reopening bars and nightclubs in 17 provinces next month and will make a proposal to the CCSA. While entertainment venues nationwide are planned to reopen by mid-January, according to a report in Thai media, the ministry is proposing to open bars in “blue” zones a month earlier on December 16, but…
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Transport Ministry says Thai land bridge will become transit port to rival Hong Kong
The transport minister is feeling optimistic about a new land bridge development which will connect the southern provinces of Ranong and Chumphon. The Bangkok Post reports that the project will link Chumphon, on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, to Ranong, on the Andaman Sea. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says the result will be a transit port with…
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Thailand signs procurement deal for 50,000 courses of Molnupiravir Covid pill
Thailand has signed a 500 million baht deal to purchase 50,000 treatment courses of the new Covid-19 drug, Molnupiravir. According to a Thai PBS World report, the Medical Services Department signed the deal yesterday, with Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul present to witness it. A course of treatment is made up of 40 x 200mg capsules. A patient will need to…
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Travel agents call for tourism fee to be postponed until industry recovers
The Association of Thai Travel Agents is urging the government to postpone the implementation of a new tourism fee until the sector has fully recovered. Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn says Thailand has averaged around 3,000 – 4,000 foreign tourists per day, since re-opening on November 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says confidence is low ahead of the coming high…
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Foreign Minister shrugs off lack of invite to democracy summit
Thailand’s Foreign Minister has shrugged off the fact that Thailand has not been invited to a democracy summit being hosted by the US. Thai PBS World reports that Don Pramudwinai says the event is, “nothing more than pure politics”. The summit is scheduled to take place from December 9-10 and Thailand has been left off the guest list. Controversially, Taiwan…
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Sexy street vendor’s sales spike after busty shirt goes viral
When photos and videos of the “sexy street vendor” went viral, the 24 year old Chiang Mai woman says her orders for the Thai pancakes, known as “khanom Tokyo,” multiplied… just by showing some cleavage. (This was a top story on The Thaiger yesterday. So, we’re doing a follow up, you know, for the readers.) The vendor, known as Olive,…
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Pattaya Music Festival attendees urged to get tested for Covid after positive cases
Those who attended the Pattaya Music Festival on November 12 and 13 are urged to get tested for Covid-19 after several people who went to the festival later tested positive for the virus. While the festival ran under Covid-19 prevention measures, with the audience seated to ensure social distancing, the government spokesperson says many people outside of the event area…
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Health Minister concerned that once bars reopen, they could be Covid “hotspots”
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says he’s concerned that places that serve alcohol could become Covid-19 “hotspots” as people who are intoxicated are less likely to follow disease control measures. Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says bars and restaurants serving beer and cocktails should strictly follow Covid Free Setting guidelines, which includes vaccinating staff and requiring customers show either proof of vaccination or…
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Gay rights advocacy groups seek help from opposition
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are now turning to the opposition Pheu Thai Party for their support on attaining marriage equality in Thailand. This is coming on the heels of a major Constitutional Court ruling that essentially upheld the ban on same-sex marriage in the country. These groups are campaigning to revise the Civil and Commercial Code, which at the moment only…
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Pattaya Fireworks Festival starts tomorrow under strict Covid-19 prevention measures
Looking for a weekend trip to escape from the bustling city of Bangkok? The Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2021 is set to run from tomorrow until Saturday from 4pm to midnight at Pattaya Central Beach. Mayor Sonthaya Khunplome says those entering the main event area close to the stage will need to show proof that they have received two doses…
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PM digs in his heels, says he won’t quit while the country needs him
The Thai PM says he’s not going anywhere and will remain in position at least until next year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, which Thailand is hosting. According to a Bangkok Post report, Prayut Chan-o-cha was responding to questions from reporters about the remainder of his 4-year term, which ends in March 2023. He says as long as the country needs…
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Blackpink’s Lisa tests positive for Covid-19
A Thai-born Lisa Manoban of the K-pop girl group “Blackpink” has been diagnosed with Covid-19, according to reports. A South Korean news outlet Daum said Lisa was diagnosed with the coronavirus today, and her management YG Entertainment was awaiting the results of RT-CPR tests performed on three other members of the group. BLACKPINK YG Thailand, a Facebook page founded by…
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What is a Thailand Elite Visa? & Why Should You Apply For One?
If you have never heard of a Thailand Elite Visa, you might be wondering what one is? If you’ve heard of a Thailand elite visa, you may also wonder why you should get one instead of a conventional visa? The Thailand Elite Visa is attractive because it is a long-term visa that allows visitors to stay in Thailand for extended…
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60 more Burmese nationals arrested for illegal crossing of Thai border
A total of 60 Burmese nationals in three groups were detained yesterday after they reportedly crossed the Thailand border illegally through Muang and Sangkhla Buri districts, according to the police. In the morning, nine men and four women from Myanmar’s Dawei, Magway, Yangon, and Bago provinces, were arrested near Moo 15 village in tambon Ban Kao, who claimed to pay …
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DDC focuses on low vaccination provinces, finds people missing
As the Department of Disease Control focuses its strategy on getting everyone vaccinated and planning booster shots for next year, one problem has emerged for vaccinating people in provinces with low vaccination rates: they’re not there. As officials try to incentivise people to get vaccines, they are finding that in some provinces, unvaccinated people simple don’t actually live at their…
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Tourists and hotels warned about abuse of Covid-19 rules
The CCSA is dealing with complaints from locals, businesses, hotels and tourists about Covid-19 regulations not being followed. There has been a problem with tourists refusing to wear masks and follow Covid-19 safety regulations that are mandatory, and on the other side, hotels have been found to be not disclosing all Covid-19 related expenses in their booking cost, frustrating arriving…
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Chiang Mai street vendor goes viral for showing skin to sell sweets
A 23 year old Chiang Mai street vendor has gone viral online after she decided to draw in customers by showing a bit of skin, wearing a cardigan-style shirt, loosely pinned at the top, with nothing underneath while making the popular street snack known as “khanom Tokyo” which are basically Thai pancakes. Before going viral as the sexy street vendor,…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 5,857 new cases; provincial totals
55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,544 with 20,450 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 5,857 new Covid-19 cases and 7,318 recoveries. There are now 81,577 people in Thailand being…
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Bangkok’s Red Line starts fares at 12 baht, maximum at 42 baht
Fares for Bangkok’s Red Line electric commuter train will start at 12 baht and go up to a maximum fare of 42 baht. The Ministry of Transport announced that they will start issuing tickets on November 29 for the Red Line and the starting fare will be set for the first three years from 2022 to 2025. The new line,…
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Thailand’s “We Travel Together” scheme generates 5.19 billion baht in third phase
Thailand has earned a total of 5.19 billion baht for the tourism industry since its reopening with the endowment from the government’s third phase of subsidy called “We Travel Together,” or “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” in the Thai. Government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says that 909,937 people had registered to enter Thailand, with 1.3 million rooms in 4,113 hotels already reserved,…
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Bangkok Airways resumes flights from U-Tapao to Phuket and Koh Samui
Next month, Bangkok Airways will resume flights from the U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport to Phuket and Koh Samui. The Phuket – U-Tapao flights will resume on December 2 while the Samui – U-Tapao will start back up on December 15. Flights between Phuket and U-Tapao with an ATR72-600 aircraft will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with outbound flights from the…
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Government reports over 90% of students 12-18 vaccinated
A spokesperson for the government reported that now over 90% of students in Thailand who are between the age of 12 and 18 years old have been vaccinated with at least one Pfizer dose. When looking at the numbers though, the figures are a bit… interpreted. The spokesman reported that there’s a total of 5,085,460 students in Thailand and that,…
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Cabinet approves Thailand importing 30 million Pfizer vaccines
The Department of Disease Control will import another 30 million Pfizer vaccines with the Thai Cabinet approving the deal today. This agreement will double the amount mRNA vaccines Thailand has obtained from Pfizer for a total of 60 million doses. The deal also authorizes the DDC to sign and confirm the third amendment to the Manufacturing and Supply Agreement that…
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Miss Universe Thailand sued over inappropriate use of national flag in promo photo
Miss Universe Thailand is being sued for inappropriate use of the Thai flag. On the pageant organiser’s website, the promo picture for Anchilee Scott-Kemmis shows the beauty queen dressed in red, wearing a crown, and striking a pose while holding the national flag, which appears to be a digital image. The red, white and blue stripes appeared beneath her feet…
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