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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Young elephant found dead with plastic in intestines – Chachoengsao
PHOTO: Department of national parks, wildlife and plant conservation The body of a young elephant has been found with plastic inside its large intestine in Chachoengsao (north of Chon Buri) yesterday. Officials at the department of national parks, wildlife and plant conservation (DNP) were notified from a villager headman that the young elephant has been founded dead in the forest. Veterinarians…
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Army chief’s intervention in election campaign backfires
by Jitraporn Sennawong and Nattaphat Phromkaew The Thai Army chief’s attempt to scare politicians from discussing the Army’s budget and reform by indirectly calling them “enemies of the state” has backfired. Many Thais have emerged with additional proposals for reforms of the military, and others are protesting the chief’s invocation of the jingoistic military anthem. Political critics and social media…
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Weather for February 21
Bangkok Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Generally clear. High 32ºC. ENE winds shifting to W at 15 to 25 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 36ºC. Winds SE and variable. pattaya Partly cloudy, with a possible thunderstorm. High 30ºC. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 30%. Hua Hin Generally…
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Thai Raksa Chart say Princess was ‘nominated with her consent’
PHOTO: Prasert Thepsri – The Nation The embattled Thai Raksa Chart Party is defending its nomination of Princess Ubolratana as a prime ministerial candidate saying it was done at the wish and consent of the Princess. The party is fighting for its existence as the Charter Court mulls a dissolution of the party after a recommendation from the Election Commission.…
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Weather for February 20
Bangkok Generally clear. High 34ºC. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds SE and variable. Pattaya Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds SE at 10 to 15 km/h. Ko…
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Syrian woman arrested with fake Spanish passport at Suvarnabhumi Airport
PHOTOS: Immigration Bureau Immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport have arrested a Syrian woman with a fake Spain passport. The Immigration Bureau reports that, while they were patrolling the airport, they found the woman who was acting suspiciously. They asked to see her passport which had her name listed on the passport as Alampana Albana, a Spanish national. She was waiting for…
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Man dies instantly in temple fireworks explosion in Chaiyaphum
A 59 year old man, serving as a civil defence volunteer at a Chaiyaphum temple fair, has been killed instantly after picking up a seemingly half-lit giant fireworks pipe that then blew up in his face. Chaiyaphum is in central Thailand, north-east of Bangkok. The incident took place at Wat Ban Muang Kao in Kaset Sombun district last night. The annual…
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Kingdom from the sky – a tribute to the Thailand we love
Amongst the chaos, the pungent aroma of spicy street food and bad driving, there’s also the daily connection with Thailand’s deep secrets – the land, the light, the hidden beauty. Just 2 Guys Creative have captured some of this in a short tribute to Thailand from the air, all shot on a DJI Phantom 2. Click full screen and HD,…
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Army Chief spits the dummy and orders the playing of military song
Contributors Jitraporn Sennawong and Kas Chanwanpen – The Nation If you’re the Thai Army Chief, and a bit miffed that some political parties are including scaling back military spending in their election policies, what do you do? Why of course you order Army radio stations in the Kingdom to play a jingoistic, and offensive to many, military-themed song, “Nak Phaendin”. Angry…
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No alcohol sales today – Makha Bucha Day, February 19
The 24 hour ban on alcohol sales for Makha Bucha Day will remain in effect until midnight tonight. Makha Bucha is a sacred Buddhist holiday taken to refer to a day to honour the third lunar month and, in particular, the Buddha and the teachings that he delivered on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month. Any person…
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Weather for February 18
Bangkok Generally clear. High 32ºC. Winds S at 15 to 25 km/h. Phuket Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 34ºC. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Pattaya Morning thunderstorms. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Chance of rain 80%. Hua Hin Generally clear. High 32ºC. Winds…
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Summer scorcher heading our way – winter was ‘unusually’ warm
“Thailand’s summer starts this Thursday.” The Thai Meteorological Department is forecasting “an extraordinarily hot and arid summer” for Thailand from this Thursday, the official start of Thailand’s summer – the HOT season (Thailand leaps from a cool winter straight into its local summer season). Seven provinces in the North and western regions are expecting extreme heat between 40-44C. Phuwieng Prakhammintara,…
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Amnesty for possession of cannabis in Thailand?
The Government is looking at a plan to grant amnesty to those who have been using, or have, cannabis in their possession, But only if they report to authorities within a given time frame. The Drug Committee approved three draft legislations for amnesty yesterday. If the drafts become law even possessors of cannabis, who are not patients or research units,…
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New Camry Hybrid provides luxury in a larger model with electric advantages
by Kingsley Wijayasinha – The Nation Weekend The interest in electric cars is hotting up in Thailand but Thai manufacturers, so far, have been reluctant to take the FULL electric plunge. In the meantime Toyota is hoping their new Camry Hybrid will draw a good number of customers thanks to its packaging overhaul. The hybrid is battery operated with a…
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Proposal to ban alcohol sales on Songkran day, April 13
Coming up with another blunt tool to help curb Thailand’s horrendous annual road toll during Songkran, the Alcohol Control Committee is proposing a ban be placed on the sale of alcohol on April 13, Songkran day. The ACC has passed a resolution to ban the sale of alcoholic drinks on the national Songkran holiday but says the proposal will have…
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Car and house loans surged in 2018
The Bank of Thailand says they’re concerned about the double-digit growth in loans for cars last year. The central bank is now monitoring the trend and will keep track of statistics for the rest of 2019. Their concerns about the Thai mortgage market the year before resulted in new regulations coming into effect this April. Loans for cars were up…
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Voters like Prayut as PM but prefer Pheu Thai as the party they will vote for
With the election campaign now digging into its first week on the hustings, the polls are starting to indicate where the early poll sentiments are leaning. Thai PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is the favourite for the prime minster’s position following the election, but Pheu Thai is the party people want to see lead the formation of the new government, according…
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19 injured after bus crashes into Sa Kaeo property
PHOTOS: สวยพันธุ์ไม้ ท้ายบ้าน / อาสาสมัครมูลนิธิร่วมกตัญญูจังหวัดสระแก้ว จุดวัฒนานคร 19 people have been injured after a bus plunged into a local house today. FM 91 BKK reports that the accident happened at 8.10am this morning near Wattana Nakhon District Office in Sa Kaeo, on the Cambodian border, east of Bangkok. At the scene police found 19 people injured as a result of the…
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Cobra Gold troops drink blood from decapitated cobras in annual jungle ceremony
Thailand and US military forces have joined in the opening ceremony for the annual Cobra Gold military exercise. Cobra Gold is the largest biggest military exercise of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region with 29 nations taking part as participants or observers. The military activities will run until February 22, including disaster relief training, military field training and humanitarian assistance…
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Thailand’s Constitutional Court accepts case to dissolve Thai Raksa Chart
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has voted unanimously to accept the Election Commission’s ruling that the Thai Raksa Chart party be disbanded over its nomination of Princess Ubolratana as its prime ministerial candidate last Friday. The party will be given seven days to present its defence in writing before the Court deliberates on the party’s future. Meanwhile electioneering is continuing for the…
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Leaked document shows the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry planned to delay pesticide ban
The Hazardous Substance Committee may fail to reach a decision on whether to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, said Apichin Jotikashira, Industry Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary. Apichin, who is a committee member, told environmental activists and those who claim they have been affected by agrochemicals today, that if new information about the impact of banning the herbicides and pesticides was…
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Tourism Council of Thailand promises to raise standards of tourist safety
By Chadamas Chinmaneevong, ttgasia.com The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) says they are “joining hands with state agencies including the Department of Land Transport, Marine Department and Tourism Authority of Thailand to improve tourist safety standards nationwide and overturn perceptions of the country as a dangerous tourist destination.” The project is a reaction to the many, many safety related incidents that…
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One Malaysian dead and another injured after big-bike crash in Suphan Buri
A 50 year old Malaysian female tourist has died, and her friend injured, after their high-performance BMW motorcycle crashed in Suphan Buri’s Muang district yesterday afternoon. The two were part of a 20 motorbike convoy, riding from Malaysia with the goal of reaching Tak province in Thailand’s north-west. The fatal crash took place at 1.30pm on Malaiman Road in Tambon…
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Constitutional Court meets today to rule on future of Thai Raksa Chart
PHOTO: Thai Raksa Chart party leader Preechaphol Pongpanit awaits the decision of the Constitutional Court today whether to proceed with the case to disband the party The Constitutional Court is meeting today to decide whether or not to consider the request of the Election Commission to have the Thai Raksa Chart Party dissolved for breaching the political parties act. The…
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Weather for February 14
Bangkok Generally clear. High 33ºC. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Generally clear. High 32ºC. Winds E at 15 to 30 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 36ºC. Winds SE and variable. Pattaya Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Generally clear. High 32ºC. Winds SSE at 15 to 30 km/h.…
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The day that shook Thai politics
OPINION It was just another Friday except that it was also the final day that political parties were able to nominate MPs for the March 24 elections. And their proposed candidates for the role of the a Prime Minister following the election. PM Prayuth Chan-ocha would announce his candidacy sometime during the morning, the worst kept secret in Thai politics.…
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Constitutional Court to have final say: EC votes to disband Thai Raksa Chart
The Election Commission has voted unanimously to ask the Constitutional Court to consider disbanding the Thai Raksa Chart party. The decision leaves the pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart in tatters with the national poll only six weeks away. The EC statement says that the commission reached the resolution to recommend the party’s dissolution to the Constitutional Court last night after finding the…
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Slow phase out of ‘Paraquat’ meets resistance
Activists are voicing their objections to the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach’s proposal to ban the use of paraquat in three years instead of one. The Hazardous Substance Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting tomorrow to reconsider the banning of three controversial agricultural chemicals – paraquat, glyphosate, and chlorpyrifos. But the BioThai Foundation has disclosed the minister’s text…
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Weather for February 13
Bangkok Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds E at 10 to 15 km/h. . Phuket Generally clear. High 33ºC. Winds E at 15 to 30 km/h. Chiang Mai Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. High 35ºC. Winds SE and variable. Pattaya Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Partly…
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Hakeem al-Araibi’s release from Thai detention follows a meeting between Thai FM and Bahraini Crown Prince
The decision to drop an extradition request against Australia-based former Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi stems from a visit by the Thai foreign minister to Bahrain. The Bahraini withdrawal of extradition demands, that enabled al-Araibi to walk free on Monday, was made after a meeting in Bahrain earlier that day between the Bahraini Crown Prince Salman al-Khalifa and Thai Foreign Minister…
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