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 What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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Covid-19 update: 5 new cases, no deaths (Sunday)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 5 new national cases of Covid-19 today, bringing the total in Thailand to 3,009. No additional deaths were reported, leaving the accumulated toll at 56. Today’s number, while higher than yesterday’s 4, continues the encouraging trend of single-digit daily increases There were 4 more infections on the resort island of Phuket this morning,…
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Former deputy PM says government should focus on solutions, not threats
Thailand’s former Deputy PM Chaturon Chaisang yesterday posted on his Facebook page and other social media that, in his opinion, the government is focusing on threats versus solutions during the current Covid-19 crisis. His post has been widely shared and gained a lot of traction in Thai-language media. Chaisang, a former Minister of Education in addition to being a Deputy…
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Most Thais want restrictions lifted – NIDA poll
The National Institute of Development Association recently conducted a poll that asked 1,259 Thais from various walks of life about their thoughts on lifting the current Emergency Decree restrictions, such as the closure of businesses and the national curfew. The poll was taken from Thursday to May 9 and comprised Thai nationals over the age of 18 from various backgrounds,…
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Thailand’s GDP to contract up to 5% for 2020 – business thinktank
Thailand’s GDP is expected to contract between 3-5% for 2020, and exports by up to 10%. The predictions from Suphan Mongkolsuthee, president of the Federation of Thai Industries and chairman of the private sector joint committee. He also believes that the Thai economy has probably reached its ‘low point’ and will start recovering from now. He said that, as the…
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Government panel predicts 12-18 more months of pandemic-related pain
Thailand faces up to a year and a half of serious impacts from Covid-19 pandemic, according to a government advisory panel investigating the pandemic’s consequences on the Kingdom. The panel was set up on the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s orders on April 30. After analysing data from the Ministry of Public Health, the advisory committee on the social and economic…
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Thailand’s hotels face more pain after European tour group asks to defer debt
Hotels in Thailand, particularly in Phuket and some surrounding regions, have been hit with a double whammy. First the whole Covid-19-related wipe-out, now a cash-flow problem brought about after the TUI Group – an Anglo-German multinational travel and tourism company – has stalled repayments for hotel rooms. The amount owed to Thailand hotels is believed to exceed 2 billion baht. TUI is…
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Provinces ordered to establish Covid-19 operations centres
The governors of all 76 of Thailand’s provinces have been ordered to establish and manage Covid-19 operations centres. Interior Ministry permanent secretary Chatchai Promlert announced the order yesterday. As Thais start inter-provincial travel there is an increased risk of undetected cases moving around the country and setting off another localised outbreak. According to the order, each centre will be responsible…
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PM confident economy will rebound when businesses reopen
Or… “what goes down, must go up”. “If workplaces reopen, there will be employment and salaries… If factories reopen and employ people, rehabilitation will start.” Responding to reporters yesterday, the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed confidence the economy will improve once businesses reopen and people are employed again, and when tourism resumes, with measures in place to give visitors confidence…
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7-Eleven, Family Mart cash in on the pandemic
While some people are losing their jobs as a result of the pandemic, Thailand’s billionaires are getting richer. The owners of 7-Eleven and Family Mart are just two of them. The convenience store franchises are classified as essential services and have stayed busy, while some of the smaller mom and pop shops were forced to close due to the coronavirus outbreak.…
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Grocery giant Makro to add over 700 jobs
At last a snippet of good economic news. Thai big-box grocery giant Makro has announced plans to hire more than 700 employees to boost its delivery service and create jobs after the Covid-19 outbreak passes. Siam Makro’s CEO says a new company priority is to help people who’ve lost their jobs due to the Emergency Decree and subsequent lockdown measures…
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8 new Covid-19 case, total now 3,000, no new deaths (Friday)
The spokesman of the Covid19 Coronavirus Situation Administration, Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, announced 8 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 at this morning’s daily press briefing in Bangkok, maintaining the recent trend of single-digit daily increases. The new cases take Thailand’s total to 3,000 since the beginning of the outbreak. No new deaths were reported, leaving the tally at 55. All of…
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Thai Health Minister says China, South Korea no longer virus hotspots
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has provisionally approved a suggestion from Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul that China and South Korea be removed from the list of Covid-19 “hotspots”. Nation Thailand reports that the number of confirmed cases in each country has now dropped into single digits and attempts are being made to re-establish economic and social ties between Thailand and the two…
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May 17 target for shopping centres to re-open
The rumours have been flying since this week’s cabinet meeting about the next raft of re-openings as Thailand’s economy starts to plod back into gear. Now, after a meeting yesterday of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, there’s general consensus that shopping centres and retail stores will be able to re-open on Sunday, May 17. Of course the caveat is…
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Thailand News Today – Thursday, May 7
Issan restaurant owner allegedly shoots wife, stepson, nephew A restaurant owner in Issan’s northeastern Maha Sarakham province has surrendered to police after allegedly shooting dead his wife and stepson. Police arrived at the scene to find the alleged shooter, a 31 year old, had locked himself inside. He reportedly fired a warning shot to discourage officials against getting too close.…
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Deputy PM says some restrictions could be eased before mid-May
Speaking at the Covid-19 Coronavirus Situation Administration today, Deputy PM Wissanu Kreangam addressed rumours that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is considering easing some Covid19 restrictions before the middle of May. Meetings are taking place this afternoon between the CCSA and other government departments as the PM gathers medical advice from the CCSA and other experts on the feasibility of loosening some…
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Repatriation flight from Germany arrives in Bangkok
Last night 110 Thai people, living abroad and having been affected by the Covid-19 travel restrictions and flight bans, arrived from Frankfurt, Germany on a specially-chartered Lufthansa flight. The flight number LH772 arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport where all the passengers passed initial screening with no high fevers detected and medical paperwork intact. Thai citizens, who weren’t in Frankfurt, had to make…
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Prayut warns Thai Airways that the latest government bailout will be the last
The Thai PM has issued a stern warning to the executives of Thai Airways that the latest bailout is the last from the government. Last week the Finance Ministry agreed to guarantee a 54 billion baht bailout loan for the ailing airline and a further 80 billion baht recovery loan – both massive amounts of money being given to an…
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Visakha Bucha Day, Buddhist holiday – alcohol ban today
Today is a public holiday in Thailand to mark Visakha Bucha Day, the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating three defining events in the life of the Lord Buddha; his birth, attaining enlightenment at 35 years old, and then his death 45 years later, which all occurred on the full-moon day of the sixth lunar month. Visakha Bucha…
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Thailand News Today – Tuesday, May 5
Lack of social distancing at BTS stations in Bangkok This morning with thousands of people heading off to work in Bangkok, they ended up stranded at BTS stations after services were hit by a “technical error”. A post via twitter at 6am from BTS SkyTrain authorities, stated “there has been a technical error from on the rail line near National…
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Thailand News Today – Monday, May 4
Coronation Day in Thailand Today is the first anniversary since HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne and became the tenth king of the Chakri dynasty. Last year’s ceremonies were held between May 2 – 4 with the actual coronation of the new King happening on the third day. One thing Thailand does particularly well is grand ceremony and HM’s…
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New plans for managing Thailand’s 2020 public debt
The Thai Cabinet has approved new plans for managing the fiscal 2020 public debt that was previously proposed by the Ministry of Finance. Deputy Government spokesperson Traisulee Traisaranakul announced that… “according to the new plans, the amount of ‘new’ debt has been adjusted up to 1.497 trillion baht from 894.005 billion baht.” “The plan for the management of ‘existing’ debt has…
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Thai baht up 3% against USD over past month
Potential tourists and expats shipping in money from overseas were hoping the Thai baht would continue to fall against the US dollar. But they’d be surprised that the baht has rebounded in April against the greenback – about 3% in value. But Thailand’s Central Bank is warning that the recent strengthening of the baht against the USD may “not be sustainable”.…
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Committee votes to ban harmful pesticides from June 1
The National Hazardous Substances Committee has voted to push ahead with the ban on two pesticides, effective June 1. The products are paraquat and chlorpyrifos, 2 of 3 toxic weed killers that have come under scrutiny. It was agreed to allow the controlled use of glyphosate, the third chemical, until the end of November this year. The vote comes following…
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Former union leader calls for total overhaul at Thai Airways
The former president of the Thai Airways union is calling for a complete revamp of the airline, including the ousting of all existing board members. The call follows years of crippling losses, bailouts and promises of a corporate cleanout. The Bangkok Post reports that Chamsri Sukchotrat made the call in a Facebook post, addressing PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in his role…
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Rare pink dolphins spotted off Koh Phangan – VIDEO
Pink dolphins are extremely rare, mainly found in only a few spots in the world, including parts of China, Hong Kong waters and sections of the Amazon river. So it was a surprise for fishermen in the Gulf of Thailand to have a rare encounter with pink dolphins, which scientists say are becoming bolder in the absence of tourists The…
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2 Aussies win $7,500 each in racial discrimination suit
After being turned away from a Thai restaurant in Sydney’s central business district, 2 caucasian Australian men have been awarded A$7,500 each for racial discrimination. 32 year old Luke Masters, and Wayne Clothier aged 33, were awarded the payout today after they were prevented from entering Mr B’s Hotel on Pitt Street in Sydney’s CBD in September 2017. A security…
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Government details symptoms in bid to stop the spread of African Horse Sickness
An outbreak of African Horse Sickness, also known as African Plague, has now killed hundreds of horses in Thailand. The Government Gazette has now detailed the symptoms of AHS, after the contagion was first detected on March 25. First found in Nakhon Ratchasima, the disease has now spread via mosquitoes, gnats and gadflies to other parts of the country, killing…
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Thai Airways gets another lifeline from the government
Thai Airways is finally getting a reprieve, after years of financial woes and corporate drama. The struggling national carrier is getting a lifeline in the form of a bailout loan. Finance permanent secretary Prasong Poontaneat made the announcement yesterday, after a meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The State Enterprise Policy Committee meeting approved “in principle” the proposal to rehabilitate…
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Thailand News Today – Wednesday, April 29
Covid-19 update (Wednesday) 9 new cases, 0 new deaths Health officials at this morning’s national daily briefing announced 9 new Covid-19 cases in Thailand today, bringing the total to 2,957. No new deaths were reported and the tally remains at 54 since the beginning of the outbreak in January. 2,665 people have recovered and been discharged, making the recovery rate…
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Thai Health Minister pushes ahead with ban on harmful pesticides
Taking a break from handing out face masks and berating “dirty farang”, Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed yesterday that the proposed ban on three hazardous pesticides will go ahead as scheduled on June 1. According to a Nation Thailand report, Minister Anutin refused to entertain proposals from both the Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit and the Chairman of the…
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