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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Domestic violence on the rise amid falling incomes and rising alcohol consumption
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation says the Covid-19 pandemic may be causing a spike in domestic violence, as incomes fall, debt rises, and more people turn to alcohol. The foundation claims incidents of domestic abuse have risen by 66% since March, when Covid restrictions were introduced. The Bangkok Post reports that the biggest rise is in the south of the…
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Police threaten protesters with legal action following Tuesday’s Parliament rally
The Metropolitan Police Bureau is threatening to charge activists involved in Tuesday’s rally outside the Parliament building in Bangkok. At least 55 people were injured when violence broke out between rival protest groups and police. Piya Tawichai, from the MPB, says that, of the 4 groups outside the building, only 3 had applied for permission to hold a rally, including…
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Anti-government activists condemn rejection of iLaw draft, vow to fight on
Protests are set to continue following Parliament’s decision yesterday to reject a draft charter amendment submitted by human rights non-profit group iLaw, with the backing of over 100,000 signatures. Protest leader Jatupat Boonpattarasaksa says the rejection, which happened after the first reading of the bill, has left activists with no choice other than to continue the protests. He added that…
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Protests kick off again after parliament reject iLaw amendment to Thai Charter
The proposal put forward by iLaw, the only one not proposed by MPs and supported by nearly 100,000 signatures, has been rejected by parliament to be included in discussions for constitutional amendments. It’s set up another afternoon and evening of protests, this time being staged around the Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok. Thousands of protesters have already gathered shouting “f**k…
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Thai PM extends Emergency Decree to January next year
The government will extend a nationwide emergency decree until at least January 15 next year. The PM has cited the need to prevent a resurgence in coronavirus infections during the peak New Year’s travel period. The impasse with protesters was not brought up as a reason to extend the current Emergency Decree. The CCSA chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has…
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Morphine, cocaine, opium, to be legalised for medical use in Thailand
Thailand is set to decriminalise 102 drugs, including morphine, opium, and cocaine, for medical use and research purposes. A proclamation in the Royal Gazette declares that, from July 2021, the substances may be sold or used in very specific, limited circumstances. The drugs are classified as category 2 under Thailand’s Narcotics Act and also include fentanyl and codeine. That’s what…
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55 people injured in clashes at Bangkok protests
The Erawan Emergency Medical Service Centre in Bangkok says around 55 people have been injured following clashes during yesterday’s protests in the capital. Violence erupted as pro-democracy activists attempting to reach the Parliament building, clashed with police and rival yellow-shirt pro-establishment groups. A spokesperson for the medical centre says 32 people have been injured by tear gas, which police used…
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Finally! TAT partners with hotels, airlines, to offer travel stimulus package for expats
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is partnering with airlines and over 300 hotels around the country in another domestic tourism stimulus scheme, this time aimed at expats. It’s understood all foreigners and their families, living in the Kingdom, are eligible to avail of the scheme. The “Expat Travel Bonus” offers a 1,000 baht per night discount on hotel accommodation at…
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Thai government earmarks 6 billion baht for 26 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine
The Thai Cabinet is to put aside over 6 billion baht to procure 26 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca, in conjunction with researchers at Oxford University in the UK. Nation Thailand reports that the National Vaccine Institute will be given 2.38 billion baht to reproduce the vaccine, in an effort to reduce the cost from…
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Thai law to be amended to allow for abortion up to 12 weeks
The Thai Cabinet has approved an amendment to the country’s laws that will permit abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek confirmed the amendment in a press statement yesterday. “The cabinet has approved to amend the law of abortion in the Thailand Criminal Code, Section 301, for women who are not more than 12…
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Human rights group iLaw calls on Parliament to approve draft charter amendment
The director of iLaw, a Thai human rights non-profit group, is calling on Parliament to approve its charter amendment bill. Jon Ungphakorn made the call as MPs and senators meet for a second day to vote on 7 draft charter amendments. The amendment submitted by iLaw is the only one not submitted by the government and opposition MPs. Yesterday, protesters…
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A round-up of events in Bangkok yesterday as protests turn ugly
As various protest groups, both pro and anti-establishment, gathered near the Parliament building in Bangkok yesterday, tensions were high, and things eventually turned ugly. By mid-afternoon, as pro-democracy activists tried to reach the Parliament building where a debate on draft charter amendments was taking place, police resorted to a combination of tear gas and water cannons laced with chemicals to…
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Man gets caught in crossfire in rival gang clash, grenade explodes in his hand
As rival gangs exchanged gunfire at a Chanthaburi province fruit market, a man tried to break up the fight by holding up a grenade and threatening to use it. The plan backfired. 34 year old Thammarat Suntorn was shot multiple times in the crossfire and the grenade ended up exploding in his hand. Thammarat was severely injured with several gunshot…
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Thailand News Today | Protesters v Police, Quarantine reduction, VietJet passenger arrest | Nov 17
A busy day of news with the protests underway as we were preparing today’s program. We will keep you up to date with the latest at thethaiger.com Police use tear gas and water cannons against protesters outside Thai parliament this afternoon Police in riot gear and gas masks have deployed water cannons and tear gas on protesters out the front…
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UPDATE: Riot police deploy water cannons and tear gas at protest outside Parliament
Police in riot gear and gas masks used high pressure water cannons and tear gas against pro-democracy protesters who attempted to remove a 3 layer concrete barricade set up to block passage to the Thai Parliament building in Bangkok. A police officer confirmed with the reporters on site that the water was laced with tear gas. Photos shared in social…
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Special holiday weekend expected to generate 12.6 billion baht – TAT governor
With this Thursday and Friday deemed “special holidays” in an effort to boost domestic tourism, 3.02 million people are expected to travel around Thailand and generate over 12.6 billion baht in tourism revenue, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The recent Covid-19 cases could influence travellers’ plans, TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says. In Bangkok, a Hungarian diplomat tested positive…
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Tourism authority calls for expansion of domestic travel stimulus scheme
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is calling on the government to improve the existing domestic travel stimulus programme, in the hope of boosting home-grown tourism. The current scheme provides Thai tourists with a 40% subsidy on hotel rates, up to a maximum of 3,000 baht a night, for 10 nights. It also subsidises air fares to a maximum of 2,000…
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Tourism officials fear local Covid cases may dampen enthusiasm of domestic travellers
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has expressed concern that the emergence of local Covid-19 infections may negatively affect travel during the November 19-22 holiday period. TAT governor, Yuthasak Supasorn, says there’s a risk that local infections, such as the Krabi resident who tested positive recently, may be dampening enthusiasm among domestic tourists. Local tourism officials are desperate to reboot Thailand’s…
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Women’s rights activists gather at pro-democracy rallies to raise awareness about sexual harassment
While hundreds and thousands gather at pro-democracy protests to call on government, constitutional and monarchy reform, Thai women’s rights activists attending the Bangkok rallies are raising awareness about sexual harassment and rape. The activists say they want to end the “victim blaming” culture where women are said to bring harassment and even rape upon themselves by dressing a certain way.…
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Astronauts to plant Thai tree seeds on International Space Station
Astronauts orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station are going to plant Thailand’s national tree and study how the plant, known as the Golden Shower (yes, we know…) for its yellow hanging flower clusters, grows in an environment without gravity. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 4 astronauts as well as the seeds and supplies for the project was…
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Thai travel agents propose opening borders to tourists from “low risk” Chinese provinces
Foreign tourists are entering Thailand slowly… very slowly. Only around a couple hundred tourists have entered the country since travel restrictions were put in place 7 months ago. Thailand needs to step up, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents. Travel agents warn that around 2 million people could lose their jobs if foreign tourists aren’t allowed to enter…
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Hoteliers to discuss how to revive Thailand’s crippled hospitality industry
The hospitality industry has taken a beating from the pandemic and a 2 year revival plan is now in the works to at least address the urgent problems faced by Thai hotels and hospitality outlets. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is holding a brainstorming session and around 15 hotel operators are expected to join to discuss recovery solutions for the…
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Officials criticised over Covid border screening measures
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is being criticised over its border screening measures after an Indian man, who stayed in Thailand for 3 months, tested positive for Covid-19 in Krabi province while remaining asymptomatic. Walairat Chaifoo, director of the Epidemiology Bureau, has defended the screening measures by saying the Department of Disease Control has initiated mass tests for those “at-risk” at…
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Reduction in mandatory quarantine back on the table again
After initially saying a plan to reduce the mandatory quarantine period was being shelved due to public concerns, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has announced it’s back on. A proposal to reduce quarantine for foreign arrivals from 14 days to 10 is being submitted to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration next week. A report in the Bangkok Post says Anutin…
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Overseas investors buy Thai bonds, optimistic that Covid-19 vaccine will revive tourism
With hopes that a Covid-19 vaccine will be the key to open Thailand’s doors back up to international tourism, overseas investors are putting down money into Thailand’s financial market. Thai baht has strengthened by nearly 3% since the end of October, a top performing currency in Asia following the Indonesian rupiah, and it’s expected to strengthen even further over the…
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Thailand News Today | Coconut Business, Weekend protests, Pork dressed as Beef | November 13
Thailand News Today for the last day of a busy week. Protests and the opening of the Blue Line will hold up traffic over the weekend. See you on Monday. US grocers cut ties with Thai coconut milk company after PETA reveals monkey labour Thailand’s coconut milk industry is under the spotlight again after PETA lobbies US grocers to boycott…
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Human feces dumped in watershed contaminates Karen people’s drinking water
A truck allegedly dumped a tank of human feces in a watershed that drains into water sources used by a group of Karen people, leaving the community in Northern Thailand’s Tak province with no clean drinking water. Around 200 Karen people gathered at a police station in the Phop Phra district to file a complaint. For generations, water drained from…
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US grocers cut ties with Thai coconut milk company after PETA reveals monkey labour
Grocery stores throughout the United States are cutting ties with the Thai coconut milk company Chaokoh and other Thailand coconut product suppliers following an investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) into the monkey labour at Thailand coconut farms. PETA Asia claims the Thai macaques are “snatched from the wild” and treated like “coconut picking machines.” Recently,…
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Who are these Thai student protesters, and what are they protesting about?
What’s behind all the protests in Thailand right now? What are the protesters demanding? Who are they? Since August, an organic – mostly young Thais – political movement has been building. It’s different from every other protest movement in the past. The people attending the rallies don’t really align themselves, or identify with, the past political factions. They’re not red…
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Singer and political activist plans to fight on, while sticking to bail conditions
A Thai singer-songwriter arrested for his role in pro-democracy protests, says he will continue the fight, while adhering to his bail conditions. Chaiamorn Kaewwiboonpan, aka, “Ammy”, says he plans to continue singing and speaking at political gatherings, having discussed the matter with his lawyer. The singer says his lawyer has advised him that he can still speak at rallies, provided…
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