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 Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...
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Phuket official suggests drawing tourists with sharks
After an animal, which some suspect was a shark, bit a child at a Phuket beach on this week, one official thinks sharks could be a cool new tourist attraction. Earlier, a lifeguard had voiced concern that if the attack was indeed a shark attack, this would impact tourism in the area. But Jutha Dumlak, the president of the Kamala…
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Friday Covid Update: 7,705 new cases; provincial totals
62 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,976 with 7,278 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,705 new Covid-19 cases and 11,252 recoveries. There are now 97,672 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Beauty brand wants to end forced haircuts in Thailand’s schools
The Thai office of one American beauty brand wants to push Thai schools to ditch their mandatory haircuts for students. This news comes after the brand, Dove, has started working with Girl Guides, Thailand’s version of Girl Scouts, to empower women to reach their fullest potential. This week, Dove launched a campaign called #LetHerGrow, and released an ad about the…
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Man speaking on the phone in northeast Thailand accidentally hit by train
A Burmese man has been run over by a train outside a construction site camp in Udon Thani province, northeast Thailand, at around 9:30pm yesterday. The man’s colleagues said he was using the train tracks to support his head while he lay down and spoke on the phone when the incident happened. In the grass, the body of 28 year…
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Anutin instructs 3 ministries to prepare to transition Covid-19 to endemic
Deputy PM and Thai health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has ordered his ministry to work with the Tourism & Sports Ministry and the Transport Ministry as Thailand prepares to declare Covid-19 endemic. According to a Nation Thailand report, government spokesperson Traisulee Traisaranakul says the move is a result of the country’s falling infection rate. “The Deputy PM said the number of…
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In a ranking of the world’s top tourism destinations, Thailand slips in at number 4
It may have its critics, particularly in light of recent ham-fisted and bureaucratic attempts to revive tourism, but Thailand remains one of the most popular destinations in the world. At least, that’s what a study by financial services provider Visa has found. Nation Thailand reports that Thailand sits at number 4 among the world’s top tourism destinations, according to the…
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TAT says Thailand still on track to welcome 20 million tourists next year
The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says he remains hopeful that 20 million holidaymakers will travel to Thailand next year. Yuthasak Supasorn says this will almost certainly be possible if China lifts its border restrictions by then. He adds that he expects tourism revenue to reach 80% of its 2019 level during 2023. “The industry next year is…
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Anutin proposes getting rid of the Thailand Pass – for Thai returnees only
Thailand’s Public Health Minister wants to get rid of the Thailand Pass. But don’t get too excited, Anutin Charnvirakul is proposing scrapping it for Thai returnees only – at least for now. According to a Bangkok Post report, the health minister says he will submit the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. However, when asked whether the emergency…
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Endangered black panther spotted at national park in central Thailand
A Thai tourist wrote about her encounter with an endangered black panther at a national park in Phetchaburi province in central Thailand on social media yesterday. The woman videoed the black panther rolling around on its back like a domestic house cat in the rare sighting. The woman was driving through Kaeng Krachan National Park when she spotted a black…
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Rental demand soars, as Phuket real estate returns to fundamentals
Urban flight has driven Phuket’s once investment-focused property market in an entirely new direction. This seismic shift has resulted in a dramatic return to real estate basics. Focusing on the pandemic era of the past two years, a constant flow of new incoming residents from both abroad and Bangkok has seen the scales tip, as rental demand has vastly exceeded…
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Thailand police arrest 7 for alleged forced fishing labour
This morning, police arrested 7 people in 3 provinces across Thailand for allegedly supplying forced labour on fishing boats. This news comes after 3 Thai workers were repatriated from Malaysia in September last year, after being forced to work on a fishing boat, without oversight from authorities. The 7 arrested today were captured in raids in Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, and…
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Thai netizens laugh at foreign woman who mistook spirit house for a table
In a video circulating on social media, a foreign woman surrounded by Strawberry Fanta is spotted sitting on a stool and using a spirit house as a table, blissfully unaware of the Thais around her paying their respects to the spirits. The act could be considered very disrespectful to Thai culture, but Thai netizens seem to be entertained, rather than…
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Thailand borrows 50 billion yen from Japan to cope with Covid aftermath
The Thai government has signed a loan contract to borrow 50 billion yen or about 13 billion baht (US$385 million) from Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA to cope with costs of handling the Covid pandemic in Thailand. Thai PM and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha urged Thais not to criticise the government borrowing money again because the amount was included…
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Ask the Thaiger Staff Anything! feat. Jay and Natty | Thaiger Unfiltered for Charity
Here’s a chance for our viewers to ask Natty and Jay any questions they have and they will answer you with their honest responses unfiltered! Please be kind and appropriate.
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Thailand’s first Covid-19 vaccine waits for approval from local FDA
Better late than never. Thailand’s first Covid-19 vaccine, ChulaCov19, has shown impressive results in the first and second rounds of human trials. The director of the vaccine project claims the Thai vaccine is safe and more effective than Pfizer vaccines used in Thailand. The developing team expects the vaccine to be approved by Food and Drug Administration before the end…
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As schools prepare to reopen, Thai officials discuss Covid-19 regulations
Thai health and education officials held a meeting yesterday to plan Covid-19 regulations, as the new school semester is right around the corner. Schools are expected to reopen on May 17. Officials from the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education discussed how day schools and boarding schools alike will prevent and minimise any rebound of Covid-19. Both types…
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German tourist rescued after getting stuck between rocks in Phuket
A German tourist has become stuck between a rock and a hard place in Phuket. The island’s tourist police rescued a German tourist stuck between huge rocks in the forest facing Nai Thon Beach on Phuket’s west coast. He walked from the airport and was later trapped at the spot. He was lucky his phone signal was still available for…
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Thursday Covid Update: 9,790 new cases; provincial totals
54 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,914 with 7,216 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 9,790 new Covid-19 cases and 17,109 recoveries. There are now 101,281 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Man kills family of 3 in revenge shooting in central Thailand
A Thai man has shot dead his childhood friend, his friend’s wife and the couple’s 5 year old son at the family’s home in the central province of Pathum Thani at around 1 pm yesterday. The shooting is suspected to be a revenge attack since the perpetrator’s mother was recently arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison for a…
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New Pattaya festival made over a million baht in revenue, association says
After Pattaya debuted its new ‘Squid Fair‘ seafood festival this weekend, a business and tourism association says it generated over a million baht in revenue. The president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association told The Pattaya News that, the 20 vendors at the festival earned almost 30,000-40,000 baht a day. The festival lasted for 3 days. The festival was held…
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After child suffers animal bite, Phuket beach cleared for patrols
After an 8 year old Thai-Ukrainian boy was injured in a suspected shark attack on Tuesday, Phuket’s Kamala Beach was cleared of swimmers for lifeguards, police and officials to patrol. The chief of Kathu district told The Phuket News that there were still beachgoers, and the patrol was meant to warn tourists to be careful of ‘aquatic animals’. But photos showed that…
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Ayuttaya featured in Forbes’s Top 50 Best Places to Visit Post-Pandemic
Forbes magazine has featured Thailand’s central province of Ayutthaya in their list of 50 best places to travel to post-pandemic. Forbes selected the province for its historical and cultural significance as well as its expansive scenery. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says he is thankful for Thailand’s spot on the list and expects the feature will attract tourists into Ayutthaya…
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Hoteliers less than enthusiastic about government’s tourism stimulus scheme
Hotel operators have given a mixed response to a Tourism Authority of Thailand proposal for the new phase of the domestic tourism stimulus campaign. The TAT have suggested that hotels could offer a 50% discount on an extra 1 million room nights, in addition to the government’s offering under the “We Travel Together” scheme. According to a Bangkok Post report,…
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Should Thailand legalise online gambling?
The topic of online gambling has long been discussed in Thailand. While there are those who think online gambling should be legal, others are against all forms of gambling. This also includes online gambling. And yet, there are still many online casino sites operating in Thailand. There are even websites where you can read more about the options you have…
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What is the procedure for purchasing an off-plan property in Thailand?
Purchasing an off-plan property is an excellent option for investors who want to obtain a property in Thailand. With an off-plan property, you can enjoy numerous benefits and flexibilities. For example, you can choose the best units and have the freedom to modify the unit you want to buy. Buying off-plan in Thailand also gives buyers an opportunity to buy…
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Japanese expat dies in motorbike accident, 10 year old daughter seriously injured
A Japanese businessman died in a motorbike accident on a mountain in Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand, yesterday. His 10 year old daughter is seriously injured and is being treated at Mai Sai hospital. Yesterday, 52 year old Shimizu Masaeki was taking his 10 year old daughter up Doi Pha Hee mountain in Chiang Rai province when he is thought…
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Thailand doesn’t need to introduce 300 baht entry fee yet, says PM Prayut
Thailand’s PM has pushed back the introduction of a 300 baht ‘entry fee’ for international tourists arriving in the kingdom. Since Test & Go, Sandbox and other entry restrictions were dropped on May 1, Thailand has experienced a surge in international arrivals. If tourism levels continue to climb and significantly improve national income this year, it might not be necessary…
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Is Bare Knuckle Fighting in Pattaya barbaric or an Entertaining combat sport?
What is Bare Knuckle Fighting? Why is it based in Pattaya of all the places in Thailand? Is Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship too barbaric and hardcore? We sit with the CEO of BKFC Nick Chapman to find out more about one of the world’s fastest growing and most devastating combat sport in the world. BKFC Thailand 2 on Saturday 7th…
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Thai PM expects tourism to recover to half of pre-pandemic levels by next year
The Thai PM says he expects 20 million tourists to visit the kingdom next year, around half the number of pre-pandemic years. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says this prediction still relies on the Covid-19 situation not deteriorating. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM has acknowledged that tourism numbers have increased significantly since the easing of some restrictions. ‘Significant’ is…
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PM shrugs off claims of MPs being bribed to vote against him in no-confidence debate
The Thai PM has dismissed allegations that MPs are being bribed to topple the government in a forthcoming no-confidence debate. The claims were made on Facebook by former deputy PM, Trairong Suwannakhiri, according to a Bangkok Post report. Trairong says he’s learnt that between 5 and 30 million baht has been offered to MPs from smaller coalition parties, in an…
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