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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Drones being used to help manage Thai holiday traffic
A fleet of drones is being deployed by the Royal Thai Air Force to assist the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation manage traffic on the country’s main highways over the year-end holiday period. The period is also one of the two ost dangerous times on Thai roads; the other being over the Songkran holiday break. Thai PBS World…
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Former Office of Buddhism chief sentenced to 20 years for corruption
PHOTO: National Office of Buddhism The former chief of the National Office of Buddhism has been handed a 20 year prison sentence for the mis-appropriation of temple funds. Thai PBS World reports that at the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, Panom Sornsilp was found guilty of graft, along with the former director of the Office of Temple Renovation…
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Former NZ Olympic champion busted for working illegally at Bangkok fitness studio
PHOTO: Olympic.or.nz | Bangkok Get Fit Cycling Studio A former Olympic champion from New Zealand has been arrested for working in Thailand without a work permit. The Nation reports that 37 year old Kiwi, Marc Ryan, was arrested yesterday at the Bangkok Get Fit Cycling Studio in the Sukumvit district. The arrest came after police received reports of a number of foreign…
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Asia leads the way in travel technology over next decade
In an industry already heavily “disrupted” by technology, tourism and travel will see even more of the business-side move online. Singapore-based travel booking company Agoda says that single one-stop-shop apps for all travel needs, passport free travel, and mobile app check-in are the top three new travel trends expected by travellers. Their report indicates travellers now expect a lot more from their travel experience…
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Live links to watch Thailand solar eclipse today
Here are some live links to watch the solar eclipse which is currently happening across Thailand. It is now at its peak (midday). CAUTION: Looking at the sun directly and without proper equipment is dangerous and can cause blindness. Read more, along with some guidelines for viewing the solar eclipse, HERE. While Singapore, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia will all…
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Thai reporter sentenced to 2 years jail over Twitter comment
A court has sentenced a reporter to two years in prison for libel, over a comment she posted on Twitter about a labour dispute at a Lopburi poultry farm in central Thailand. The case against Voice TV’s 30 year old Suchanee Cloitre is just one of 20 launched by Thammakaset, a supplier of poultry to Thai agri-business giant Betagro, since 2016…
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Woman shocked by eight million baht monthly power bill
PHOTO: Thai Rath/Channel 33 A 55 year old Ayutthaya woman was surprised to receive a power bill for more than eight million baht. Ayutthaya is a few hours drive north of Bangkok. Tanyanan Ketparn told Thai Rath that she was always punctual with monthly electricity bill payments, which is normally around 18,000 baht (which still sounds a lot unless Tanyanan is…
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Solar eclipse today across Thailand. Here’s how to watch it.
CAUTION: Looking at the sun directly and without proper equipment is dangerous and can cause blindness. Read more, along with some guidelines for viewing the solar eclipse, HERE. How it will look in your area below… The skies will darken across Thailand around midday today. The further south you are, the darker it will get as the moon moves over…
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DSI to charge former national park chief over “Billy” murder
PHOTO: Chaiwat Limlikhit-akson, former head of Kaeng Krachan National Park and Polajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen The Department of Special Investigations says they plan to file charges against a former national park chief and three park officials, in connection with the murder of Karen community rights activist Polajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen back in 2014. Shane Kanchanapat, director of the DSI’s Special Cases Division,…
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Where are Thai airbnb customers staying over the holiday period?
Where are the people booking share accomodation staying for the Christmas and New Year period? • Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido are among the top five trending destinations where Thai travellers usher in another year • Seoul is the most-booked overseas destination for Thai travellers on New Year’s Eve • Chiang Mai is the most popular domestic destination for Thai travellers…
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“Illuminati Case” against Future Forward Party rejected by Court
The “Illuminati Case”, a charge of sedition against the embattled Future Forward Party, has been rejected by Thailand’s Constitutional Court after a petition for an inquiry back in July. The complaint claimed the popular opposition political party is linked to ‘The Illuminati’, an imaginary secret elite seeking world domination, according to conspiracy theorists. So, to make this clear, the Thai Constitutional…
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Year-end tourism expected to generate over 80 billion baht
PHOTO: Kudla/Shutterstock The Kasikorn Research Centre says both domestic and foreign tourists in Thailand are expected to generate over 82 billion baht between December 28 and January 5, aka the ‘silly season’. This is traditionally the busiest time for holiday visitors to Thailand. This is up 1.3% year on year, but growth in 2019 is lower than the 7.4% growth…
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Thai Ponzi scheme investigations wrap up
PHOTO: Bangkok Jack 2019 has been the year of the ‘Ponzi’, unsustainable investment schemes which always end up in the late-comers receiving nothing and losing their investment. Thai media have reported on up to 10 high-profile Ponzi schemes that have crashed leaving Thais losing billions of baht. This is the latest news on three of the current investigations. Police have…
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Careers and business heading for the scrap-heap. And the ones that will thrive.
Is your career headed for the scrap-heap? Rangsit University’s Economic and Business Research Centre for Reform has been studying the careers and businesses that are at high risk of disruption, layoffs or downright extinction. They’ve also identified 10 other careers that have a promising future. In discussing the detailed survey, the centre’s director, Anusorn Tamajai, said 12 careers faced high risk of…
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Baht to remain strong into 2020: Kasikorn Research Centre
The Kasikorn Research Centre believes that the Thai Baht is going to remain strong into 2020. KBank’s research arm forecasts the baht to move in a range of 30.10-30.50 Thai baht to the US$ for the next few quarters. But they warn a key domestic factor to be monitored closely will be November’s export data, which will be released soon. External…
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Thanathorn’s “flash mob” enjoys widespread support amongst Thais
The public is split over what is now being called the opposition’s “flash mob,” and “Skywalk Rally” organised by the Future Forward Party in central Bangkok on December 14, but supporters slightly outnumber opponents, according to a survey by the National Institute for Development Administration, or NIDA Poll. The poll was conducted on December 16-17 and included 1,277 Thai adults…
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Thais split over the holding of the ‘Skywalk’ rally in Bangkok – Poll
PHOTO: Khaosod English Thai people have been surveyed on their attitudes towards the December 14 “Skywalk” rally held by the Future forward Party. They responded to a recent NIDA poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration. The controversial rally was held on the busy Pathumwan skywalk, outside MBK and linking the National Stadium BTS station. The event attracted around…
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Man arrested for using Twitter and Thai postal service to sell “ice”
… and not the frozen water stuff. The Narcotics Control Board has arrested a man for selling “ice,” crystal methamphetamine, using Twitter and shipping the drug by the Thai postal service. Kriangsak Hadda was arrested with a total 191.6 grams of crystal meth, according to authorities. Niyom Termsrisuk, the ONCB secretary-general says that this kind of clandestine trade has led…
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“Green heart passports” to promote eco-tourism around Thailand
Visitors to Thailand’s 155 national parks over the New Year holidays have a special surprise in store: the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will distribute one million “green heart passports” to promote environmentally friendly tourism. The passports will be valid until December 31, 2020. Visitors to national parks can show their “passport” at the entrance, along with their…
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On Boxing Day the skies will go dark across Thailand – solar eclipse
The skies will go dark in Thailand around midday on Boxing Day. The sun will partly vanish and a ghostly pall will shadow the Kingdom. But it’s all good. It’s a solar eclipse, a completely natural phenomenon. The Nation reports that viewing spots have been prepared in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok, in Chiang Mai province in the north, Nakhon Ratchasima…
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Keep your phone’s operating system up to date or lose mobile banking, warns Bank of Thailand
The Bank of Thailand says a constant threat from malware and bogus apps requires a robust security response and as a result, phones with outdated operating systems will likely lose full access to online banking. The Nation reports that assistant BOT governor Siritida Panomwon Na Ayudhya says there has been significant growth in the popularity of mobile banking, with approximately…
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Thailand’s Army chief warns of a ‘proxy crisis’
PHOTO: Matichon The Army chief, General Apirat Kongsompong, is warning Thais about what he sees as a “proxy crisis” facing the country. The comments, without directly referring to the event by name, were a veiled criticism of the “Run Against Dictatorship” event coming up next month. The commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army took the “everything’s OK, but…” approach to…
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Thailand ramps up drink-driving campaign for new year break
Government, police and local agencies are launching their annual no-drink-driving campaign to raise driver awareness and, hopefully, reduce fatalities during the New Year holiday, designated for December 27 to January 2. Speaking in support of the campaign, Deputy national police chief Wirachai Songmetta announced 10 points of advice to drivers and bike riders in an effort to reduce road accidents…
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Tourism Authority of Thailand says three websites now provide electronic visa-on-arrival
Visitors from some countries can now apply online for a visa-on-arrival, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand saying they’ve added a third website to the previous two offering the service. Thai Residents reports that citizens of Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nauru, New Guinea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu can now also apply through www.eVisaThailand.com,…
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Why is Thailand’s PropTech market so valuable…
… and who will come out on top in the battle of the portals and hybrids, 2020 and beyond? How big is the Thailand economy? Is Thailand just for tourism? The explosive growth in the economy has now placed Thailand as the second largest economy in Southeast Asia. With over 70 million people now residing in Thailand, the country boasts one of…
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Thai Airways presents new recovery plan for board approval
Thai Airways president Sumeth Damrongchaitham says the national carrier will submit a 2020-2025 rehabilitation plan to the Board of Directors in January, with a separate purchasing plan for new aircraft also being put forward. The Nation reports that the rehabilitation plan will consist of twenty projects and four key measures. One of these will be to increase the revenue derived…
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Competition amongst discount airlines concerns Thai CAA
PHOTO: Travel Daily (the photo is for display only and does not reflect on the airlines depicted) Thailand’s airlines are strapped for cash, facing serious competition and discounted airfares, and the Thai Civil Aviation Authority is closely watching their safety standards. This from the CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop. Sukmanop says he’s worried because many airlines, especially budget carriers, are facing…
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Thai parliament officials apologise for Future Forward members’ kiss
“Let’s call a press conference to apologise for the last press conference…” Parliamentary staff have held a media conference to apologise for the behaviour of two male Future Forward MPs who exchanged a kiss during an earlier press conference held in the Parliament building. The Nation reports that the House Speaker’s secretary Tankhun Jit-Issara emphasised the need to behave appropriately in…
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Thailand’s U-turn on agri-chemical ban shows US hitting where it hurts
PHOTO: matichon.co.th The US is piling the pressure on Thailand over its agri-chemical ban, and it appears to be working. A report by the Nikkei Asian Review claims the Kingdom’s proposed ban on three agri-chemicals – Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos – would have affected American agricultural exports into Thailand. But the US President has weighed into the issue. Following news…
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Thai man’s campaign to find his aunt, allegedly kidnapped by North Korea 42 years ago
Persistence. A Thai man, who believes his aunt was abducted by North Korea several decades ago, says he’s encouraged by Japan’s efforts to track down its citizens also thought to have been kidnapped by the rogue state. Thai PBS World reports that Banchon Panjoi was invited to a meeting in Japan organised by relatives of missing people believed to have been…
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