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 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Dumped shredded Thai baht notes found on the Trat roadside
by Poonsak Boonloy Confetti? Leftovers from a paper cannon? No, shredded and dumped Thai bank notes in far eastern Thailand. A large amount of the shredded banknotes, with denominations of 20, 50 and 500 baht, were found dumped on the roadside in Ban Khok Moo 5 of Tambon Nong Samet in Trat’s main city area yesterday. Pol Captain Somphok Srichuchit…
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Overstaying Russian tries to change his Thai visa stamp with a pen, badly
PHOTO: Naewna.com It seemed like such a good idea at the time. A Russian man has been caught on overstay at the Klong Leuk border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo, directly to the east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border. Trying to enter Cambodia, the man told immigration he changed the last visa stamp with his own pen. 32 year old…
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‘Ministry deals’ in tatters – Palang Pracharat revoke cabinet post promises
“One source, a core leader in Phalang Pracharat, confirmed the previous deals had been revoked.” Thailand’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit from June 20 to 23 is forcing Palang Pracharat members to stitch together its government and sort out key ministerial posts before the event. More than two months after the election, and following the election of a PM that…
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Palang Pracharat are warned not to renege on Thai ministry promises
Amidst rumours circulating that the Palang Pracharat Party may renege on some of the promises it made to secure MP votes from the Democrats and Bhumjaithai, the Democrat party leader Jurin Laksanavisit says he believes the Palang Pracharat party will keep its promises. Thepthai Senpong MP, a key Democrat party member, is warning that the coalition government will be in…
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Nation Multimedia Group takes legal action over alleged copyright violation
The Nation Multimedia Group is filing criminal cases against two media monitoring service companies for violation of its copyright. NMG’s subsidiaries Krungthep Turakij Media, Nation News Network and Kom Chad Luek Media, as plaintiffs, filed criminal cases with the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court on April 9 against iSentia Bangkok and iSentia Monitoring Services (Thailand). The two companies…
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Thai PM Prayut thanks MPs for re-electing him to the position of prime minister
Following his re-appointment to the position of PM late last night, Prayut Chan-o-cha has thanked the two houses of Parliament for voting for him. Government spokesperson Werachon Sukondhapatipak passed on the PM’s gratitude for re-election to the position this morning. He says the PM noted that the wining votes came from the lower house and were then combined with the…
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General Prayut Chan-o-cha is Thailand’s 29th Prime Minister
General Prayut Chan-o-cha was elected as Thailand’s next prime minister in a joint upper and lower house Parliamentary vote around 9pm last night following a day of intense debate. Prayut beat his opponent Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit from Future Forward Party with 500 to 244 votes. Three MPs abstained from voting and one was on a sick leave. 250 of the votes came from…
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Thanathorn says he will be Thailand’s Prime Minister of change
Future Forward’s 40 year old leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has called for change this afternoon. He made his speech outside of the temporary parliament as he’s been barred as an MP pending legal cases yet to be heard by the Constitutional Court over alleged media share holdings. The speech was made as the parliament hears from MPs about why they support…
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Former Democrat Party leader and Thai PM resigns
Former Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has announced his resignation as a parliamentary MP, saying he could not break his word and follow his Democrat Party’s resolution to support Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as the next PM. He announced his resignation in the lead up to today’s vote for a new PM, now a cakewalk for the existing PM Prayut after…
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And then there were three. Bidding for Airport duty free concession.
Only three Thai bidders – King Power Duty Free, a consortium led by Bangkok Airways, and a bid by Royal Orchid Hotel – remain in play as the companies attempt to win the licence to run duty-free shops at the Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai international airports. The Central Department Store bid has formerly dropped out of the bidding…
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Democrats side with Palang Pracharat before today’s PM vote
PHOTO: Thai PBS The Democrat party has decided, following a fierce debate late yesterday, to join the Palang Pracharat-led coalition government. They cite ‘ending political uncertainty’ and ‘switching off’ the power of the junta, according to new party leader Jurin Laksanavisit. As the new parliament sits and votes on a new Thai PM today, the NCPO automatically dissolves once the…
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Last minute deal secures Prayut’s PM vote in today’s Thai parliamentary sitting
Leaving it to the last moment, the Democrats dramatically capitulated and decided to join the pro-junta Palang Pracharat coalition. The move gives the current PM, Palang Pracharat’s sole prime ministerial candidate, an easy walk into the PM job during today’s parliamentary vote. General Prayut Chan-o-cha and Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit will face off in the 11am vote. Until yesterday’s…
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Phalang Pracharat unable to form Thai coalition – Democrats and Bhumjaithai sitting it out, for now
Close. But no majority. The black suits seemed appropriate for the dismal situation Thai politics faces. Phalang Pracharat, after more than two months of wrangling and negotiations, have been forced to concede that they don’t have the numbers to form a coalition as of this afternoon, repeating that their aim was to set up a stable government. As of this…
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Twitter’s Thailand Top Ten – Q1 2019
Twitter continues to grow as a popular social App in Thailand. Now Twitter have announced their first ever brand index for Thailand – Top 10 Brands on Twitter in Thailand. Measured by engagement over the first quarter of the year (January 1 – March 31, 2019), here are the Top 10 Brands on Twitter in Thailand… 1. AIS (@AIS_Thailand) 2.…
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Gunman shoots and kills village head in Narathiwat mosque
PHOTO: Nation Channel A gunman walked into the Ban Arware Mosque and shot dead the village head in Narathiwat’s Ra Ngae district last night, in southern Thailand. Stray bullets also injured a man praying next to the man at the mosque. Police report that 48 year old Pakruding Tohdeng, the village head of Ban Arwar in Tambon Mareubotok, was killed inside…
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More educated Thais earn more – SCB study
More education = higher salary. Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Unit has released a report that shows the more education you have, the more salary you will earn. The SCB think tank’s research paper indicates that the relationship between education and salary is clear and simple; education counts when you apply for a job. Also, don’t underestimate the GPA (Grade Point…
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Thai Smile joins Star Alliance as ‘connecting partner’
Thai Smile Airways, the budget offshoot of Thai Airways, will become the “Connecting Partner” in the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline network. Customers travelling on an itinerary which includes a transfer between a Star Alliance member airline and a Connecting Partner will be offered standard alliance benefits, such as the issue of a boarding passes for connecting flights at…
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HM The Queen celebrates her birthday today
Her Majesty Queen Suthida’s birthday is being celebrated across the country today. The Queen was born on June 3, 1978. She graduated from Assumption University’s School of Communication Arts in 2000, after which she served as a flight attendant on JAL ways and then, from 2003-2008, with Thai Airways International. The Nation reports that in 2010 she was an acting…
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2019 Dengue cases soar as Thailand enters monsoon season
Dengue fever cases have doubled in Thailand compared to the same time last year. 20,000 cases have been reported since January 25 this year. And health officials are wary as Thailand heads into the annual monsoon, the traditional peak period for dengue cases. The Chief of the Disease Control Department says the number of infections has doubled since figures for…
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Wildlife groups call for reviews on elephant export regulations
“Before elephants are allowed to be exported, he suggested a check is made to find out how many Thai elephants had been exported and how many of them have been smuggled out.” Wildlife conservation groups and an MP Nikorn Chamnong, representing the Chart Thai Pattana party, is opposing the export of Thai elephants and demanding that the Commerce Ministry review…
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Thailand’s export growth expectations revised down to just 3% in 2019
“Export trends are aligned with global sentiment and the outlook for other Asian countries, making export prospects murky because of the escalating trade war.” The government is massively revising down their export growth targets to just 3% this year from an earlier 8% growth estimate. Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak is blaming the global economic slowdown, the ongoing trade spat between the…
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Vote for new Thai PM on Wednesday – Democrats and Palang Pracharat still at loggerheads
The countdown is on to next Wednesday’s vote for a new Thai PM. With all odds pointing to a return term for Prayut Chan-o-cha, Palang Pracharat’s prime ministerial candidate, it’s now or never for the various parties to form workable, and sustainable MP blocs in the new parliament. Otherwise the new PM will be the head of a scrambled egg…
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