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.

  • Sponsored

    Where to travel in Thailand in April [2025]

    Travelling in Thailand is peak during April if you are looking for a real taste of summer. With high temperatures, amazing beaches, and exciting events, April is an amazing time to visit the country as a whole. Due to the...

  • Does Thailand recognise legal gay marriage from other countries?

    Does Thailand recognise legal gay marriage from other countries?

    Does Thailand care about civil partnerships or gay marriage? Does Thailand recognise legal gay marriage from other countries? When will parliament implement changes? Tim sits down with Benjamin Hart from Integrity Legal to talk about Civil Partnerships in Thailand.

  • TUI Nordic continue their European flights into Phuket

    TUI Nordic continue their European flights into Phuket

    Yesterday it was reported that Europe’s largest travel firm TUI Nordic announced it had cancelled scheduled chartered flights to Phuket from December to April next year. The Thaiger has since been contacted by TUI Nordic to say that the information, originally published by The Nation, was incorrect. European travel giant TUI, with their headquarters in Sweden, have now confirmed that…

  • Pattaya residents and expats accuse bank manager of fraud, hold protest

    Pattaya residents and expats accuse bank manager of fraud, hold protest

    Around 50 to 100 Thais and foreigners in Pattaya held a protest last Friday accusing the assistant manager of a local Kasikorn Bank branch of scamming them out of more than 300 million baht. A report was filed back in February accusing the assistant bank manager of defrauding people out of millions of baht, for some it was their life…

  • Thai woman faces charges over fake job posts for masseuse positions in Japan

    Thai woman faces charges over fake job posts for masseuse positions in Japan

    A woman in Thailand’s Isaan region is being accused of posing as a job broker by using Facebook to make fake recruitment posts for masseuse positions in Japan. According to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, 37 year old Pawinee Yomseedum was arrested and charged with fraud at her house after using to advertise the recruitment service on social media and…

  • 700 inmates fight at Isaan prison, 3 seriously injured

    700 inmates fight at Isaan prison, 3 seriously injured

    A fight involving around 700 inmates broke out at a prison in the Isaan province Sisaket over the weekend, seriously injuring three of the prisoners. Ten other inmates were also injured. At around 9am on Sunday, as they were finishing breakfast, more than 700 prisoners divided into two sides and started fighting, some using toothbrushes they had sharpened as a…

  • New Year glass half-empty for TAT due to Omicron variant

    New Year glass half-empty for TAT due to Omicron variant

    The normally optimistic Tourism Authority of Thailand is feeling slightly more downbeat amid concerns about a potential Omicron outbreak. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says the threat of another Covid-19 outbreak is affecting travel sentiment. According to a Bangkok Post report, he expects New Year travel to generate just 8.04 billion baht in domestic tourism revenue. “Concerns over a possible outbreak…

  • Thailand’s Health Ministry outlines plan to tackle potential Omicron outbreak

    Thailand’s Health Ministry outlines plan to tackle potential Omicron outbreak

    Thailand is preparing for a potential outbreak of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, with plans to revive the home isolation programme. Dr Somsak Akksilp from the Public Health Ministry’s Medical Services Department says home isolation can be used for most infected people, along with community isolation facilities in Bangkok. According to a Thai PBS World report, Somsak is confident that home…

  • No cutoff date for those approved to enter Thailand under Test & Go, Sandbox

    No cutoff date for those approved to enter Thailand under Test & Go, Sandbox

    There is no travel cutoff date (for now) for those approved to enter Thailand under the Test & Go or Sandbox entry schemes. Following the decision to close Thailand Pass registration for the two schemes, the government announced the last group of approved travellers would arrive on January 10. That date was never posted in the Royal Gazette, and a spokesperson…

  • Monday Covid Update: 2,437 new cases; provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 2,437 new cases; provincial totals

    18 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,598 with 21,504 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 2,437 new Covid-19 cases and 3,845 recoveries. There are now 34,436 people in Thailand being…

  • Discover MontAzure, Asia’s Ultimate Beachfront Community

    Discover MontAzure, Asia’s Ultimate Beachfront Community

    Sponsored Article Nestled against the soft sands of Kamala Beach, on Phuket’s pristine west coast, MontAzure is the ultimate destination for those seeking a privileged lifestyle or an attractive investment opportunity. Exuding elegance and exclusivity, with international amenities and a timeless sense of style, this breathtaking residential development has elevated the standard of tropical living in Southeast Asia. Spanning 72…

  • Some Tak locals say the deaths of 10 men are related to a ghost looking for a husband

    Some Tak locals say the deaths of 10 men are related to a ghost looking for a husband

    Locals reportedly believe that the deaths of 10 men in a community in the western province Tak, bordering Myanmar, were related… to a ghost of a widow. Some local men have even moved away for the time being until the “ghost” problem is solved. At one house, locals hung up a red shirt with a sign that read in Thai…

  • Camps set up in Tak for more than 5,000 refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar

    Camps set up in Tak for more than 5,000 refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar

    The governor of the Tak province, bordering Myanmar, set four temporary camps supporting victims who escaped the escalating violence between the Myanmar military and the armed wing of the Karen National Union. The camps are all located in Maesot Districts of Tak spreading to four sub-districts including Mae Tao, Mae Ku, Mahawan, and Phop Phra. Around 5,358 refugees who fled…

  • 17 year old drowns on Christmas while swimming at Southern Thailand beach

    17 year old drowns on Christmas while swimming at Southern Thailand beach

    On Christmas Day, a 17 year old drowned while swimming at a beach in southern Thailand. His body was found yesterday about 500 to 600 metres from shore. The teenager went to the Nai Pret beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Khanom district with two of his friends. The current was strong on Saturday and were around two to three metres…

  • Body of a foreign man found in Bangkok canal

    Body of a foreign man found in Bangkok canal

    A body of a foreign man, said to be around 50 years old, was found in canal in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong area yesterday. Earlier that day, at around 7am, a maid working nearby saw a man by the canal and said it looked like he was trying to catch fish using a black plastic bag. Her nephew later called her…

  • Thai medic says most Omicron cases mild or asymptomatic, expects jump in numbers

    Thai medic says most Omicron cases mild or asymptomatic, expects jump in numbers

    The head of the Department of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis at Siriraj Hospital says most of Thailand’s Omicron infections are mild or asymptomatic. However, Dr Nithipat Jearakul has warned of a surge in case numbers, according to a Nation Thailand report. To date, around 200 Omicron infections have been confirmed in the kingdom, but Nithipat says we will soon see…

  • Best places in Phuket to countdown for New Year 2022

    Best places in Phuket to countdown for New Year 2022

    Say goodbye to 2021 and say hi to 2022! Let your countdown begin at one of the most beautiful venues on the island! The following hotels in Phuket are offering exclusive New Year packages for you to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. So, we have compiled a list of the best 5 venues in Phuket to celebrate…

  • Health ministry to outline 3 best and worst-case scenarios as more infections reported

    Health ministry to outline 3 best and worst-case scenarios as more infections reported

    Following the discovery of more cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, the Public Health Ministry says it will outline worst-case scenarios in a statement expected tomorrow. On Sunday, 2 probable Omicron infections were reported in Chiang Mai, with 1 infection in the north-eastern province of Loei and another in the southern province of Songkhla. The Bangkok Post reports that the…

  • Department of Corrections denies Reuters forced labour story

    Department of Corrections denies Reuters forced labour story

    The Department of Corrections is striking back after a story by Reuters last week painted a brutal portrait of forced labour, violence, and coercion in Thailand’s prison system. The department denied things like threatening and physically assaulting inmates existed and that prisoners aren’t forced to work as mentioned in the Reuters article. The article painted a picture of inmates in…

  • Ministry of Tourism survey shows tourists enjoy Thailand in 2021

    Ministry of Tourism survey shows tourists enjoy Thailand in 2021

    Many expats might get complacent with all that Thailand has to offer, and be cynical about whether it’s worth the risk and complexity of coming to Thailand during the Covid-19 pandemic. But a survey conducted by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports revealed that foreign tourists have an overall positive view of travelling in Thailand. In fact, the average ratings…

  • OIC gives give New Year’s gift: 100,000 baht insurance for 10 baht

    OIC gives give New Year’s gift: 100,000 baht insurance for 10 baht

    Usually, it’s a disappointment to get a holiday gift that you never intend to use, but the government is offering a special gift you’ll hope to never have to use: insurance. The special one-month policy is being offered by the government as a New Year’s gift for an extremely discounted special price of 10 baht. The gift policy is being…

  • COVID-19 SUNDAY UPDATE: 22 deaths, 2,532 infections

    COVID-19 SUNDAY UPDATE: 22 deaths, 2,532 infections

    Today, the CCSA reported 2,532 new Covid-19 infections, down 234 since yesterday, and 22 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 8 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,181,097 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported.     In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 3,771 recoveries, up…

  • Risk of Covid-19 infection on flights increased due to Omicron

    Risk of Covid-19 infection on flights increased due to Omicron

    As tourism has been gaining traction until the Omicron variant threw a wrench into the works, the CCSA has warned that the chances of catching Covid-19 on flights have increased because of the more transmissible new variant. The warning has been repeated out to Thai people after a statement made by the International Air Transport Association, the global influential organization…

  • Thailand celebrates its 100 millionth vaccine, focuses on boosters

    Thailand celebrates its 100 millionth vaccine, focuses on boosters

    Health officials in Thailand celebrated the announcement that they have now administered its 100 millionth Covid-19 vaccine in the country. With the rise of the Omicron variant, more people are choosing to get the protection of a vaccine, and officials are working to rapidly increase the number of third dose booster shots administered within Thailand as many brands have now…

  • Credit card payment coming next year for Bangkok transport

    Credit card payment coming next year for Bangkok transport

    One thing that expats often find different from home when they move to Thailand is how cash-based so much of the country is when so many Western countries use credit cards and digital payments almost exclusively. But soon people won’t get caught fumbling for change to catch a bus or train, as the Ministry of Transport announced that credit and…

  • Top 7 Christmas trees to check out in Bangkok

    Top 7 Christmas trees to check out in Bangkok

    Celebrating Christmas in Bangkok? Many shopping centres on lights and decorations reminding you that the best time of the year is here. Here are the most popular spots to get into the Christmas spirit in Bangkok. 1. CentralWorld CentralWorld’s holiday display is one of the biggest in Bangkok and will be up into the new year, ending around 5 January.…

  • NCDC recommends Pfizer for kids 5-11, 4th vaccine for some

    NCDC recommends Pfizer for kids 5-11, 4th vaccine for some

    Giving the Pfizer vaccine has been recommended by the National Communicable Disease Committee for children aged 5 to 11 to protect against Covid-19 infections. In the face of the spreading Omicron variant, the NCDC also recommended a fourth booster vaccine for frontline workers, healthcare professionals, and people with certain medical needs. The Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be effective…

  • COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: 30 deaths, 2,766 infections

    COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: 30 deaths, 2,766 infections

    Today, the CCSA reported 2,766 new Covid-19 infections, up 95 since yesterday, and 30 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 3 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,178,565 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 3,805 recoveries, up 1,039 from…

  • Thai vaccination now accepted in the EU Digital Covid Certificate

    Thai vaccination now accepted in the EU Digital Covid Certificate

    In a move that will help expats and travellers who have weathered the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand, the European Union is now accepting Covid-19 vaccination certificates and passports issued in Thailand as part of the EU Digital Covid Certificate. The announcement was made on a Twitter account belonging to the deputy chief of mission for the EU delegation to Thailand.…

  • 8 Christmas gifts to bring back with you after travelling Thailand

    8 Christmas gifts to bring back with you after travelling Thailand

    If you are spending Christmas in Thailand, you may be wondering what to gift to your friends and family, especially as Thailand is a Buddhist nation. Although Christmas festivities and decor are on the rise in the country, it can still be tricky to find a Christmas gift for someone from your travels. Here, we have a list of some…

  • The best reasons to celebrate Christmas in The Land of Smiles

    The best reasons to celebrate Christmas in The Land of Smiles

    Whether you live here, or you’re a tourist who fancies spending Christmas away from home for once, there are countless reasons to celebrate the holiday season in Thailand. Now that the country has re-opened to vaccinated foreign tourists, we round up the best reasons to visit the Land of Smiles at Christmas time. The Weather For many, this will be…