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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Toon crosses the finish line, exceeding the fund-raising targets and becoming a national hero
Thailand’s national hero Artiwara Kongmalai, better known as Toon Bodyslam, has completed his epic mission to raise funds for state hospitals via a run from the country’s southernmost corner to its northernmost tip. It is a job well done, exceeding targets in many aspects. Artiwara’s charity run has managed to attract more than 1.1 billion baht in donations, far above…
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Toon to cross the finish line tonight
Rock star runner, turned national hero, Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai will reach his destination at the northernmost tip of Thailand night in Mae Sai district near Chiang Rai (December 25). Toon and his support team are expected to arrive at around 9pm at the border crossing at the end of Phahon Yothin Road in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, more than…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, December 25
Car overturns in Kathu | Tragic accident killing two on Saturday night | Thailand’s 13 best beaches announced | 37 dead in Davao City blaze | Toon heads for the finish line today | Another illegal tour guide arrested at Ao Po | Drink driving still the #1 cause of our road deaths.
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Toon ploughs on in 8 degree temperatures
Charity-run hero Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai continued his run in Chiang Rai amid thick morning fog in chilly 8 degrees Celsius weather, determined to cover the final 60 kilometres stretch on Sunday to reach the finish line by December 25 as planned. So far, Toon – who has been voted in a Bangkok Poll survey as the most admirable person of…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, December 22
Prayut pushes ahead with high-speed train project | Bangkok police start a 100% helmet campaign | Laypang Beach 70% cleared | Thai tour guides protest against illegal guides, again | Pattaya tiger zoo under fire for ‘poking’ video | Less than 200 Km to go for Toon | Missing Koh Lanta boat found.
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, December 21
New Drink Drive Death campaign | Laypang finds her new home | Police still investigating pick-up fatality | EU demands release of journalists | Toon gets some celebrity encouragement.
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Less than 200 Km to go – Toon reaches 2,000 Km milestone mark on Day 52
Rock star Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai reached the 2,000km mark of his 2,191km charity run early this morning (Friday) amid chilling weather of 10 degrees Celsius. Toon and his group started the day’s first lap at 3:20am from their rest point in Ban Mae Prao village in Tambon Ban Huad in Lapang’s Ngao district when the mercury was about 10C or…
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Tiger-poking at a Pattaya Zoo sparks social media outrage
A Thai zoo in Pattaya is sparking outrage after a video of staff repeatedly prodding a tiger to elicit roars for tourist photos went viral, renewing criticism of Thailand’s notorious animal tourism industry. https://www.facebook.com/edwin.wiek/videos/10154902077257443/ Video by Edwin Wiek, the founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand The clip, which has garnered more than one million views since it was posted on…
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‘Dead’ man visits home in Si Sa Ket seven months after his own funeral
Metropolitan Police Division 1 Chief Pol Maj-General Zenith Samransamruadkit has assigned a team to investigate the misidentification of a corpse, resulting in a Si Sa Ket man being declared dead and his family holding a funeral and cremating an unknown dead male almost seven months ago. Sakhon Sacheewa, a 44 year old fisherman, returned to visit his hometown on Sunday…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, December 20
Prayut backs his deputy over watch scandal | Air Asia uniforms ‘too revealing’ | Help comes to Krabi 9 year old | Baan Yamu monkeys to be shifted | National police chief vows to track down bus burners | Tanyakan family file official police complaint | Diphtheria hits young refugees in camps in Bangladesh.
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Blade Runner ‘Cola’ sets a good example
Remember our story about the ‘blade runner’ dog Cola, the soi dog who had a bad start in his life as a pup with both paws amputated? Story HERE. The story has gone viral since then with all the major news agencies picking up the good-news tale about a soi dog who was lucky to be adopted by Soi Dog…
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Malaysian MPs say AirAsia, Firefly stewardess uniforms too sexy
Two Malaysian ruling party lawmakers have chided homegrown low-cost airlines AirAsia and Firefly for dressing their stewardesses in uniforms that are “too revealing”. Senator Abdullah Mat Yasim, a division chief of the ruling Umno party, said in Parliament the fitted attire of AirAsia’s and Firefly’s female flight attendants can “arouse passengers”, the New Straits Times reported. The “eye-catching outfits” also…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, December 19
9 year old in a cage in Krabi | Reprieve for Thai fishing industry | Police suspect ‘business’ behind Sunday’s bus torching | Alcohol Control Board goes after beer gardens | English proficiency on the improve in Thailand | Bad weather on the way this weekend.
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There’s trouble brewing
The Alcohol Control Board is suing open air beer gardens, specifically the one at Central World Plaza in Bangkok, for ‘violating advertising laws’. But that’s not all. The Board’s Director, Nipon Chinanonwait, says he’s now on a mission to target other such venues and events around the country. His reason? These locations and events “encourage people to drink” and that…
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Expensive bling and bad-taste comments about ‘Meay’ case put pressure on Prawit
The PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha has been urged to exercise his absolute powers to suspend Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan from duty as the deputy premier remains mired in controversy. “We call on Prayut to use Article 44 to temporarily suspend Prawit from his posts as deputy premier and defence minister without pay until the investigation conclusion,” Srisuwan Janya,…
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Satellite imagery shows new destruction in Rakhine State
Analysis of satellite imagery reveals new destruction of Rohingya villages during October and November 2017 in the northern Rakhine State in Burma. This latest report, along with their evidence, has been released by Human Rights Watch today. Human Rights Watch have identified 40 villages with building destruction occurring in October and November, increasing the total to 354 villages that have…
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Southern militants torch passenger bus
Militants armed with rifles yesterday torched a coach heading to Bangkok after removing the passengers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district in the latest violence in the South. Prior to the attack, the militants, who authorities said were trying to create chaos, also set up roadblocks with trees that they had cut down and set fire to villagers’ houses. Officials were…
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Targeting rubber encroachments in our forests
Amid the plunging price of rubber latex to below 50 baht per kilogram, concerned officials are now eyeing the potential for eliminating the encroachment of rubber trees in forests. As well as returning forests back to nature, the move would help reduce the volume of latex and thus push up prices. The Rubber Authority of Thailand recently contacted Natural Resources…
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New bar-coded traffic tickets start today around Thailand
If you get caught without a driving licence, infringing road rules or not wearing a helmet from today, you might be getting one of these. Thailand’s traffic police are now issuing E-traffic tickets for traffic violations from today. You’ll be able to pay the fines online two days after the issue of the ticket. Commander of the Special Branch Police…
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“Army has distorted the truth” – Phakhapong’s mother
The mother of Phakhapong “Meay” Tanyakan yesterday raised suspicions about the military investigation committee’s report into the 18 year old cadet’s death, saying it distorted the truth. Sukanya Tanyakan also pointed out in a Facebook post that the committee had slandered her son by saying that he did not respect seniority. Her comments came after the results of a military…
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A word from the cockpit – end of year report
In a bit of a break from the usual news, here’s a quick update about what we’ve been doing in the past 12 months and what we’re up to in the next few months. For those of you that have returned from the moon, a joint venture company and The Thaiger Co. Ltd., acquired the digital assets of Phuket Gazette…
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Report says Meay’s death not caused by punishment
The military-established fact-finding committee has concluded that the death of 18-year-old cadet Phakhapong “Meay” Tanyakan was not caused by any punishment. The committee, however, confirmed that Phakhapong was subject to inappropriate penalties at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS) during the 48 hours before his death on October 17. Phakhapong’s family said the probe results did not provide any…
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Toon ramps it up, stepping up the pace as he starts heading for the hills
Charity run hero Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai left Kamphaeng Phet and reached Tak today – Day 45 of his 2,191km fundraising run. For the first lap of 19 kilometres, Toon ran from Saeng Tawan village in Kamphaeng Phet’s Kosumphi Nakhon district to Wang Chao Hospital in Tak. A roadside crowd waited for his appearance, cheered him on, and handed him their…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, December 15
Parents of dead Army cadet say they’ll sue the Army | Two Thai athletes stripped of their SEA gold medals | New points system for traffic infringements being started next year | Myanmar Reuters journalists arrested | Toon stepping up the pace.
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Reporters arrested in Myanmar information suppression
Myanmar police have charged two Reuters reporters covering the Rohingya crisis with violating the Official Secrets Act, Yangon-based Eleven Media reports. 31 year old Wa Lone and 27 year old Kyaw Soe Oo are accused of sending classified information they gleaned from security officials in Yangon who had just returned from Rakhine state, where a military crackdown has sent more…
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Deputy PM now has to explain seven multi-million baht watches
It never rains but it pours for Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. While he has yet to clarify his possession of a seemingly multimillion-baht watch, social media users have raised questions about seven other watches he is seen wearing at recent events. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which is investigating the premier’s respected senior aide, yesterday said…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, December 14
Prawit’s been caught wearing another seven watches | The Army will release it’s report into dead cadet today | Patong Mayor says the 10% zones aren’t being ‘expanded’ | PM dances with the red shirts in Kalasin | Hemp crops will be legal from January 1, but… All brought to you by Phuket’s 102.75 FM, The Thaiger.
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Royal Crematorium exhibition continues to draw huge crowds
More than 3 million visitors have attended the exhibition at the Royal Crematorium of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej since it opened on November 2, Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said on Wednesday. A total of 3,005,206 visitors reportedly visited the site from its opening until Tuesday. Visitors to the site, which will remain open for public viewing until the…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, December 13
Underground cabling works start April 2018 | Schools remain closed in Songkhla | Hells Angel Aussie and his Thai wife in custody | Couple trying to smuggle 98 million baht over Thai-Laos border | Missing Ukranian swimmer found – alive and well. Brought to you by The Thaiger 102.75 FM.
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Australian and Thai arrested over alleged smuggling of huge batch of crystal meth
Police have arrested an Australian man – believed to be a member of the Hells Angels gang in Pattaya – and his Thai female accomplice over an alleged attempt to smuggle a large batch of crystal methamphetamine into Thailand. Assets worth 30 million baht have been seized from the couple, senior police told a press conference in Bangkok on Tuesday.…
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