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 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....
-
Thailand sees tourism dropping due to Omicron worries
Thailand is seeing a dip in new incoming tourists that Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn has said is the predictable side effect of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19. Since December 8, the number of daily international travellers entering Thailand has fallen to less than 3,000 people per day. Many are worried about the Omicron, which seems to…
-
TAC explains what happens if a tourist or child gets Covid-19
One question that has frequently come up, and scared people from coming to Thailand in the age of Covid-19, is that of what happens if you test positive for the virus when you land in the country. An official with the Phuket Tourist Assistance Centre recently laid out the procedure for a tourist – or a child – who test…
-
How To Get A Long Term Visa In Thailand
What options are there for people who want to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days? A lot of people travel to Thailand for a short holiday and often decide that they want to stay for longer. But what do they do when it comes to visa? What about the smart visa that helps people fall in between the…
-
How did the first Go-Go bar in Thailand start? | Patpong, A Brief History
How did the first Go-Go bar in Thailand start? Patpong is more than just a seedy bar area. It is in fact a puzzle with so many pieces containing unique stories, history and legends. Everyone who has been to Thailand has their own perception regarding Patpong and all it has to offer. Follow Bangkok Pat as he lets you have…
-
The future of digital nomads in Thailand
As the Covid-19 pandemic has helped boost the demand for digital nomads, Thailand has yet to formalise a legal way for such workers to stay in the Kingdom. Although Thailand recently announced it is targetting highly paid digital workers to help aid in the country’s economic recovery, it leaves the rest of online workers in the dark. Citing the fact…
-
Elephant tusks hoped to raise 25 million baht for conservation
If you still haven’t found that perfect Christmas present for that hard to shop for loved one, here’s a perfect multi-million baht gift idea. A pair of ethically obtained elephant tusks will be offered on auction to raise money for the Chang Thongkhum Elephant Conservation Centre. The starting bid price? 25 million baht. Elephant tusks are highly prized and banned…
-
Prison riot “under control” after hundreds of inmates lashed out over Covid-19 treatment
The prison riot in Krabi is now “under control,” according to a government spokesperson. Dozens of inmates started rioting last night at around 9pm, starting fires and destroying property to demand equal treatment for prisoners infected with Covid-19. Hundreds of officers were deployed to the scene and the director-general of the Department of Corrections even travelled to Krabi to help…
-
Friday Covid Update: 3,537 new cases; provincial totals
41 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,327 with 21,233 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 3,537 new Covid-19 cases and 5,459 recoveries. There are now 43,479 people in Thailand being…
-
5 subcommittees set up to examine casino complex proposal
5 subcommittees have been established to tackle the proposal to legalise building a casino entertainment complex as part of the House’s committee on the subject. A Palang Pracharath Party spokeswoman for the committee said each subcommittee will focus on different aspects of pushing the legislation forward. The proposal to legalise gambling and allow the government to collect tax revenue has…
-
Two Thai suspects in Taiwan’s largest heroin bust on record arrested in Pathum Thani
In the largest heroin bust in Taiwan on record, two Thai men were arrested yesterday for allegedly hiding hundreds of kilograms of heroin in lumber shipments and trafficking the drugs to Taiwan. Late last month, officers in Taiwan’s New Taipei City reported that they found over 446.8 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of around 6 billion baht, hidden…
-
Riot erupts at Krabi prison over inmate Covid-19 treatment, 300 officers deployed
Hundreds of police have been deployed to control an ongoing riot at the Krabi Provincial Prison off the Andaman coast. Around 70 inmates started rioting at around 9pm last night, throwing objects, setting fires, and smashing tiles and plates. Prisoners reportedly threw the riot because an inmate was offered Covid-19 treatment off prison grounds while others infected with the virus…
-
TAT planning A-to-Z tourism campaign with social influencers
“Amazing New Chapters: From A-to-Z Thailand has it all” is the new brainchild from the Tourism Authority of Thailand that aims to use influencers to attract people to Thailand. Like the 26 letters of the alphabet, the TAT hopes to sign up 26 influencers, both regional and global, in an attempt to reach 26 million travellers around the world. The…
-
Thursday Covid Update: 3,684 new cases; provincial totals
26 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,286 with 21,192 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 3,684 new Covid-19 cases and 4,531 recoveries. There are now 45,442 people in Thailand being…
-
Where to spend Christmas Eve in Bangkok 2021
It is the most festive and exciting time of the year with a dazzle of Christmas and New Year decorations. One of the best things about holidays is the food, so it’s imperative to find a great place to eat. The good news is that there are various cuisines and dining options available to you on Christmas Eve here in…
-
Government warns fake vaccine certificates bring fines and jail
Authorities are speaking out against a trend online suggesting that it is easy and safe to enter Thailand using forged vaccine certificates. A number of illegal services have been seen online offering fake vaccine certificates that people can purchase rather than actually get vaccinated. But the authorities are reminding people that it’s not just wrong to put the safety and…
-
New park in Bangkok to open by Christmas
A new Bangkok park will be open on Christmas day. The area along Chong Nonsi canal is being renovated to be the Klong Chong Nonsi Public Park. The park is separated into five parts spreading over 12 kilometres along Silom to Rama 3 road. The first part of the park around Silom to Surawong road will be open on December 25.…
-
Ecotourism: the future of Thailand
As Thailand is known worldwide for its stunning landscape and culture, travelling through the Kingdom has always been popular. Ecotourism may just be the future of travel to the Southeast Asian country, amidst climate change and increasing efforts in sustainable living. As ecotourism efforts not only benefit tourists and local communities, it benefits the environment. Countries can be supported with…
-
“Tourist Police i lert u” mobile app launched to help tourists quickly
“Tourist Police i lert u” is a new mobile app launched yesterday to allow tourists quick access to emergency response and general assistance. The app was launched by the Tourist Police as a means to improve safety by providing easy access to help when needed. The app comes at the same time as the Ministry of Tourism launched a tourism…
-
Thailand and Cambodia to discuss reopening borders along Sa Kaeo
Thai officials plan to hold talks with their counterparts in Cambodia to discuss reopening the land borders between the two countries. The governor of the border province Sa Kaeo held a meeting yesterday to discuss plans for reopening entry checkpoints. Four border crossing spots are in the plan included with permanent crossing point Ban Khlong Luek – PoiPet in Aranyaprathet…
-
Thailand’s nora folk dance recognised by UNESCO as “Intangible Cultural Heritage”
Southern Thailand’s traditional, and ultra-elaborate, folk dance “nora” was recognised by UNESCO as a piece of Thailand’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage.” The Nora performance, which can last up to three days and three nights, will join the elite ranks of Thailand’s other two recognised on the heritage list, the Thai massage and masked Khon dance The announcement was made during the…
-
Political activist and hunger striker Chalard Worachat dies of heart attack
The prominent political activist Chalard Worachat has died of a heart attack at his home in Bangkok, according to a Thai PBS World report. The 78 year old rose to prominence as a serial hunger striker, frequently forgoing food to protest political developments. Once the Democrat MP for Trat province in 1979, and then for Bangkok in 1986, he left…
-
Tourism cities welcome easing of Covid measures ahead of New Year celebrations
Officials in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Pattaya have all welcomed the CCSA’s decision to ease some Covid-19 restrictions to allow for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Alcohol can now be sold until 1am on New Year’s Eve, with the exception of Phuket, where alcohol sales can continue from 11pm to 6am on December 31. According to a Bangkok Post report,…
-
Thailand launches new tourism portal to make visiting the Land of Smiles easier
The Tourism Ministry has launched a new online portal it hopes will make visiting Thailand easier for the 8 – 15 million tourists currently expected next year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the website, called Entry Thailand, has been allocated a budget of 49.6 million baht for its first phase. The portal lists the information and documents travellers need…
-
New rules for scuba diving boats in Thailand to increase safety
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Warawut Silpa-archa has introduced new safety measures that ban large commercial scuba diving boats from getting too close to dive sites. The rule would apply to national parks only so far and would require big boats to stay 100 to 200 metres from dives sites. Scuba companies that offer diving by taking many customers…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 3,370 new cases; provincial totals
29 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,260 with 21,166 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 3,370 new Covid-19 cases and 4,557 recoveries. There are now 46,315 people in Thailand being…
-
Candidate for Bangkok governor under fire after claim he studied under Einstein’s grandson
A candidate for Bangkok governor is under fire after he claimed to have studied engineering under Albert Einstein’s grandson, and even went as far to say he’s the only one in Thailand that has studied under an Einstein. But a Thai reporter decided to fact check the claims and found that the American professor has no connection to one of…
-
Ask the Girls (Part 2) – Questions you’ve always wanted answered
Should sex toys and porn be properly legalised in Thailand? Do Asian women like or prefer dating western men? Join Natty as she asks the girls questions you’ve always wanted answered. This is Part 2 of a new entertainment segment we like to call, Ask the Girls.
-
Thais poke fun at TAT’s “fly the kite” event, the phrase has another meaning in Thailand
Thais are having a laugh over the headline for a kite festival promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the Isaan province Buriram. In Thai, the phrase “flying a kite” can mean two different things… One is literally flying a kite, while the other means male masturbation. TAT Buriram is promoting the event with the headline “ชักว่าว เคาน์ดาวน์ ปีใหม่…
-
Japan donates used diesel trains, Thais criticise acquisition over transport costs
Japan has donated 17 second-hand diesel trains to Thailand which will be refurbished and ready to be in service in the Kingdom by 2023. The trains are the KiHa 183 series, which were constructed in the 1980s and late 1990s and were last used for UR Hokkaido limited express services. The State Railway of Thailand says the used trains can…
-
Fisherman’s body found by Saphan Hin Beach in Phuket
Rescue teams and the Royal Thai Navy found the body of a 60 year old fisherman by Saphan Hin Beach in Phuket who had drowned after a fishing boat capsized over the weekend. The boat sank at around 8pm on Saturday. The captain and another fisherman were able to swim to safety after hours in the water and got to…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.