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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THAIGER TODAY Friday, September 22
A police colonel detained and questioned over escape of former PM Yingluck | 200 military officers go shopping in zero-dollar crackdown | 19 arrested over National Buddhism Office scam | Grand Palace closed for October | Be on the look-out for really bad fake 500 Baht notes.
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PAD told to pay damages for 2008 Airport sit-in protests
File photo: Former People’s Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul speaks on stage during the yellow-shirt protest at Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008. The Nation Damages linked to airport takeovers in 2008 as former yellow shirts hit for political action. The Civil Court yesterday (Thursday) ordered 13 yellow-shirt leaders of the now-defunct political movement the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to collectively…
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Policeman being interrogated over Yingluck escape
A Police Colonel was detained for interrogation last night (Thursday) on suspicion of helping fugitive former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra flee the country. The policeman, a deputy commander, was said to be close to a former Metropolitan Police Bureau chief, was brought to Royal Thai Police headquarters along with a bronze Toyota Camry with Chor Khor 5323 license plate. The…
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Buddhism Office ex-chief found with gold bars, lots of them.
From The Nation Phanom Sornsilp, former director of National Office of Buddhism, faces two corruption-related charges after 80-baht weight of gold bars and other valuables were found in his house. Counter Corruption Division police raided Phanom’s house on Buddhamonthon 4 Road in Nakhon Pathom’s Samphran district on Thursday, one of 14 locations in seven provinces searched as part of an…
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Yingluck’s verdict a week away. Probably without Yingluck.
Police anticipate that 300 to 400 supporters will travel to the Supreme Court in Bangkok next Wednesday, when a verdict in the case against fugitive ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be read, almost certainly in her absence. The Metropolitan Police Bureau will take care of security around the court compound on the day without asking for additional forces from other…
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Phuket share-bike kicks off
The bicycle provider for the share bikes project, Ofo, announced today (September 20) that their company, with the help of Phuket local government, are ready to release the first phase of 1,000 bicycles for the project. From October 1 for one month, Ofo will also offer free rides as a starting gift promotion for the project. Noppadol Tujinda, General Manager…
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Roll out of Royal Commemorative Banknotes
Citizens on Wednesday began exchanging old banknotes for new commemorative ones honouring His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The commemorative notes will continue to be available at banks for exchanging and will also be automatically issued in ATM cash withdrawals. The Bank of Thailand has produced a sufficient number of the notes to keep them in general circulation. There…
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Krabi Massacre – Alleged murderers prosecution progress
Krabi prosecutor, Pichet Chaokijka, said yesterday (September 19) that Surifat Bannobwongsakul alongside his 8 companions, who are allegedly responsible for the massacre of Khao Ngam’s village chief, Worayuth Sanglang and his family members including his two young daughters and totaling 8 casualties, are being prosecuted as his accusation draft has been filed (see our earlier story HERE). There are two…
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Review of ‘Thai-only’ jobs being proposed
The Ministry of Labour will hold a public hearing on a proposal to review the rules and regulations on 39 jobs currently reserved for Thai nationals. The meeting would discuss jobs, currently reserved for Thai’s only, to be made available for foreigners. Waranont Pitiwan, director of the Department of Employment, said most Thais are now not interested in many of…
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Ex-Miss Teen Thailand caught with drugs in home raid
Actress and former Miss Teen Thailand Amelia “Amy” Jacobs and her boyfriend were arrested early on Tuesday morning in Bangkok on drug charges, police announced at a press conference. 28 year old Amelia and 40 year old Poonyawat Hirantecha were arrested at a house in Sai Mai district at about 12.30am. Police seized 70 grams of crystal meth amphetamine, or…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, September 19
Two men arrested in Buri Ram over molestation of 9 year old girl | Some of Phuket’s troublesome monkeys on the move | Thai PM visiting central Thailand for talks with locals | Mega drug crackdown has netted astonishing amounts of drugs in 2017 | Big win for the Big Mango in the Business Traveller Awards 2017.
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Aung San Suu Kyi urged to take action ahead of UN speech
From Thaiger affiliate, Voice of America On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday, diplomats from the United States, Britain and other countries concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine called for an end to the violence and for measures to relieve Rohingya refugees’ suffering. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said it was a “productive meeting…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, September 18
Two more arrested over Phang Nga rape case | Australian woman dies after ignoring red flags on Kamala Beach | Border controls on the look out for cigarette/alcohol smuggling after excise increases | 1,100 lone children cross the border into Bangladesh | Lonely Planet report pilot ‘Upcycling’ program on Koh Samet.
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Upcycling the Oceans – sustainable solutions for Thailand’s ocean plastic
Photo from Marca España Thailand says it will be the first Asian country to join a global initiative to clean up its oceans and waterways around Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Phuket. Lonely Planet reports that Upcycling the Oceans is an effort spearheaded by the Ecoalf Foundation. The projects gets local fishermen removing plastic from the waters. Once collected,…
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Doksuri dumping on north-east Thailand
From The Nation Tropical storm Doksuri has weakened into a depression and unleashed heavy downpours in several North-eastern and Northern provinces on Friday night, resulting in floods in many provinces yesterday morning. Other provinces were making preparations yesterday in expectation of more rain. The Thai Meteorological Depart-ment reported that Doksuri was downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm when…
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The Thai Canal – cutting through the project’s hype
(Photo from mothership.sg) September 11, 2017 was the latest gathering of minds related to the challenges in establishing the much-discussed Kra Canal (now referred to as the Thai Canal) in Bangkok. The canal, if it happens, would slice a new shipping canal through the the slimmest section of the Malay Peninsula, anywhere from Chumpon to south of Phuket. The Thai…
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Major tax hike for alcohol and cigarettes
A new excise tax rates effective starting Saturday, September 16, hits alcoholic beverages hard. The rates, published in the Royal Gazette, adjust the tax rate for beer to 22 per cent of retail price and 430 Bt per litre of alcoholic content For wine made from grapes, the tax rate is 1,500 Bt per litre of alcoholic content for a…
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September 30 – Final day to pay respects
The Royal Household Bureau is allowing people to pay their respects to HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej before his Royal Urn inside the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall only until the end of this month. The bureau announced the decision yesterday, citing the need to prepare for the Royal Cremation Ceremonies that will be held next month. Reigning over…
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The mopping up starts in the wake of ‘Doksuri’ in Vietnam
Typhoon Doksuri battered the central coastal areas of Vietnam with strong winds and heavy rains today, causing electrical blackouts, damage to houses and trees being uprooted and thrown around like toothpicks. The high winds prompted mass evacuations after officials had predicted it could be the ‘most powerful storm in a decade’ to hit Vietnam. The typhoon made landfall on the…
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Release of 1.5 million marine creatures in Krabi
Today (September 15), Krabi locals across the province released 1.5 million sea creatures as a pre-National Fisheries Day activity. National Fisheries Day is coming up on September 21. The animals released consist of many different types, such as freshwater fish and giant freshwater prawns. Krabi Fisheries Office also announced September 21, the National Fisheries Day, to be a non-fishing day…
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UPDATE – Typhoon ‘Doksuri’ about to hit Vietnam’s coast
DATELINE: 8.50am Thai Time • Typhoon Doksuri reaching the coast of Vietnam around midday today. Gusts up to 125 kph. • At least 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate in Vietnam as Typhoon Doksuri approaches. • A quarter-million soldiers are on standby for what may be Vietnam’s worst storm in a decade. • Doksuri killed four and left six…
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Thais – goodbye TM6 Immigration Form. Foreigners – new form on the way.
From The Nation Good news for travellers: starting Saturday, September 16 Thai nationals do not need to fill out the TM6 immigration form when leaving or returning to Thailand, said Government Spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd on Thursday. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) used Article 44 to order the policy…
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Double bomb attack in Yala injures nineteen
Nineteen rangers, soldiers and police officers were injured this morning (September 14) when insurgents in southern Yala province launched a double bomb attack. Rangers patrolling Moo 1 village in Tambon Katong in Yaha were ambushed in the first attack at 9.26am and briefly exchanged gunfire with the assailants. Two rangers – Sgt Thanet Puttho and Pvt Avudh Uppapong – were…
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1200 athletes heading to the Laguna Phuket Triathlon
During the Governor’s Meet Press event yesterday (September 13), the annual Laguna Phuket Triathlon race updated its progress before the big race day on November 19. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Laguna Phuket this year, Laguna Phuket has arranged the 1st Laguna Phuket Tri Charity Fun Run on the day before the triathlon. The charity run will feature a…
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US Ambassador Glyn Davies gives his support for this weekend’s beach clean
US Ambassador to Thailand, Glyn Davies Phuket’s biggest beach clean up is on this weekend with hotels around the island hosting many of the beach cleaning efforts along with locals and expats. You’re invited. Keep Phuket Clean “ภูเก็ตสวยด้วยมือและใจเรา” has been initiated by the Phuket Hotels Association’s Environmental & Sustainability Working Group members and supported by Phuket’s Governor and TAT Phuket:…
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The AMLO files complaints against Thaksin’s son, Panthongtae
The Anti Money Laundering Organisation is filing a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation against Panthongtae Shinawatra, the son of fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, in a money-laundering case connected with the multi-billion-baht loan fraud linked to the state-owned Krungthai Bank. The AMLO says Panthongtae allegedly received a 10 million Baht cheque from a staff member of the Krisada Mahanakorn…
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Truck driver killed in Surat Thani crash
A drive was killed after his 18 wheel trailer truck went off the road and crashed into a palm tree in Surat Thani’s Phra Saeng district early Wednesday, police said. Police said the accident happened on a road in Ban Khuan Sawang village in Tambon Sai Khueng. The truck driver was identified as 44 year old Eng Muangkaew. Police said…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, September 13
Share-bike scheme launched for Phuket Town | Dramatic video of the Fresno County rescue | Two cars were used in former PM Yingluck escape | NCPO use Article 44 in four cases | National drug sting results in 734 arrests.
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Major narcotics sting reveals 27 drug networks
A crackdown on 27 drug-dealing networks across Thailand has delivered 734 arrests and the confiscation of a huge amount of illicit drugs. This, according to the Royal Thai Police’s Narcotics Control Coordinating Center. The stings all took place between September 2 – 11. The suspects included 15 alleged narcotics producers, 52 alleged drugs distributors and 256 persons accused of having…
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Show and tell – Governor in BKK to promote Phuket Street Food
Phuket’s Governor attended a press conference regarding the Phuket Street Food Festival 2017 in Central World Mall, Bangkok. The events will take place during the green season on September 16 and 17 at the 72nd Anniversary Commemoration of Queen Sirikit Public Park in Phuket Town. Phuket is one of 18 cities across the globe that are given the special title…
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