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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Half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine seized – street value 1 Billion Baht
A 30 year old Nakhon Phanom man has been arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima in possession of 508 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine or “ice”, with a reported street value of 1 billion Baht, national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda said on Tuesday. Thinnakorn Khomsing was spotted walking suspiciously with another man near a temple in Bua Yai district, where they…
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Installation of nine-tiered umbrella atop Royal Crematorium to be broadcast live
Members of the public will be able to watch a live telecast of the upcoming installation of the grand nine-tiered umbrella at the top of the Royal Crematorium for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. On Wednesday, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn will graciously preside over the royal cremation ground at Sanam Luang in the raising of the Nine-Tiered…
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Facebook founder heading to BKK for talks with Thai PM
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is heading to Thailand at the end of October to meet with PM Prayuth Chan-ocha. ‘Like’ that! Or maybe a ‘thumbs up’. Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak says Mark Zuckerberg intends to arrive in Bangkok on October 30 to discuss e-commerce and related Facebook issues withe the Thai PM. The Deputy PM also added that an executive…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 17
Sting nets 52 overstayers, skimmers and scammers | Huge road subsidence near Chiang Mai | Chinese tourist dies whilst snorkeling | 7/11 closing on October 26.
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Northern rains – house walls crack and roads open up
Days of heavy rain have caused cracks in the land and pieces of earth have broken away in Lampang’s Mae Mo district affecting eight homes located within an eight-rai (1.3 hectares) radius early on Monday morning. Tambon Mae Mo mayor Chucheep Boonnak led disaster prevention and mitigation officials as well as local bodies and police to inspect the scene on…
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52 arrested in crackdown on black migrants and tourists
Immigration, narcotics and 191 police jointly searched 10 locations in Bangkok early on Monday and arrested 52 Nigerians, Tanzanians and Uzbekistanis on various charges. The operation was led by Pol Maj-General Surachat Hakpal, deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau. The searches were jointly launched by over 200 policemen from the Immigration Bureau, the Patrol and Special Operation (191)…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 16
A drowning and near-misses at Phuket beaches | Royal rehearsals in Bangkok | Crocodiles escape in Petchabun floods | Myanmar Army about to release a report about alleged atrocities.
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Taiwan seeking visa-free entry for tourists into Thailand
PHOTO: The Nation Taiwan is seeking visa-fee entry into Thailand. A representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, Chen-Yuan Tung, says visa free entry will attract more Taiwanese tourists and investors to the Kingdom. There were 370,000 Taiwanese visitors to Thailand in the first half od this year, a drop of 3.7 per cent. In stark contrast ,Thai…
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“Turn your promises into action”. Diplomats urge Myanmar’s Government
United Nations envoys from Britain and France are calling for Burmese authorities to turn their promises into action, end violence and create a situation where the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees can start to return to their homes – the homes they were living in before the violence flared up at the end of August. “Yesterday, we heard Aung…
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Flooding hits Bangkok and Central Thailand
Heavy rains lashed the capital past midnight on Friday and continued into the early hours of Saturday, leading to flooding on many Bangkok roads. At around 7.30am on Saturday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Drainage Department issued a plea on its Facebook page, urging Bangkokians who have no urgent business to stay home as many roads are still inundated. At 8am,…
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Mourning period extended to October 29
The mourning period for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej will be extended two more days up until October 29. This according to a media release from the Prime Minister’s office. The Royal Funeral is scheduled for October 25 – 29, so the Thai cabinet has extended the official mourning period. The official mourning period is now from yesterday up to…
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The 60 million Baht scam. Police make arrests in Bangkok.
A 45 year old Taiwanese man wanted for a high-profile electronic card information theft linked to a “call centre scam” has been arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima. Suspect Chi Min, wanted on a Sikhiu Court-issued arrest warrant since September, was arrested at a Muang Nakhon Ratchasima restaurant late on Thursday afternoon. Police also seized 270,000 Baht in cash, five bank account…
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UPDATE: Police interview two men over assault in Pattaya
Thai Visa reports…. Not 72 years old and not Australian The ‘Australian’ pensioner who was floored by a left hook in the parking lot of a Pattaya school on Wednesday after a road rage incident is really British national 77 year old George Collins Thaivisa can reveal. Mr Collins admitted that despite living in Brisbane for many years he considers himself…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, October 12
Pheu Thai and investors welcome election date confirmation | Owners with drones have 90 days to register, or else | Soi Cowboy in BKK told to close down | More flights from Thai Airways | An 84 year old academic being indicted over a famous Thai 16th century battle.
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Poll welcomed by political parties and investors, but…
While the planned election in November next year announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been welcomed, politicians say controls on political activities should be relaxed and investors still view the situation as uncertain. The heads of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) and National Legislative Assembly (NLA) have jointly echoed the junta leader’s promise and assured that organic laws would…
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Hot hotel trends – Branded residences
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com Asia’s property developers are jumping into bed with hotel groups as branded residences flourish. Southeast Asia’s real estate love affair between property developers and hotel brands is morphing into a feeding frenzy. With nearly 100 mainstream hotel residence projects and over 21,000 units completed, the next three years is set to take the sector into…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 11
No buts, no butts on beaches | Prayut confirms election date | Thailand’s most profitable national parks | Ofo wants its share-bikes back | Four tonne drug haul in Thai/Australian sting.
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Reports that Yingluck has asylum status in the UK
Just when you thought we were going to have a Shinawatra-free day, Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai says his ministry would need to verify news reports that former PM Yingluck Shinawatra had gained asylum status in the United Kingdom. Don asked people not to jump the gun and pressure the ministry to take action. He personally preferred to avoid using…
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UPDATE: Beach butt ban
After finding a large amount of cigarettes on Patong Beach following the results of several volunteer beach cleans, the Director General of Marine and Coastal Department announced that from November onward, the department will enforce the law – Section 17 of Marine and Coastal Management Promotion Act – to prohibit smoking on the beach. “After collecting trash from Patong Beach,…
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Koh Phi Phi – Thailand’s most profitable national park
Phi Phi Islands is the most profitable national park in the nation for 2 years in a row. Had Nopparat Thara – Phi Phi Island National Park has officially reached the highest income among the national parks across the country this year with 669 million Baht. The statistic were revealed by the Department of Nature, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP)…
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Second tragedy – another car found in California’s Kings Canyon
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office in California has retrieved the bodies of two Chinese passengers and the wreckage of their rental Ford Focus that have been submerged in King’s River since early August. The vehicle was found near where a car containing two Thai students came to rest after plunging off a cliff in late July. The passengers were identified…
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And the world’s most visited city is…?
The list of the world’s most visited cities, according to the Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index, has been released. And no surprises who’s at the number one position. Bangkok. The Big Mango beat London, Paris, Dubai and Singapore to the top position and doubled the amount of visitors heading to places like Hong Kong, Istanbul and Barcelona. Tokyo, New York…
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Taking the bang out of this year’s Vegetarian Festival
This year’s Vegetarian Festival will still be taking place between October 20 – 28. But organisers have been asked to ‘tone it down’ (how do you tone down the Vegetarian Festival?!) and restrict parades until the last day only in respect of the funeral for the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok. Whilst the festival is meant to be about…
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Yingluck pondering asylum in UK, France or Germany
Latest from The Nation Fugitive former PM Yingluck Shinawatra is considering applying for political asylum in the United Kingdom, Germany or France, a source from her legal team said yesterday. The preference is UK, where she is now residing on a tourist visa, the source said, but declined to elaborate which passport she is using. The source said the UK…
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More legal challenges for Thaksin
Ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra faces mounting legal problems following the new Attorney-General Khemchai Chutiwong’s announcement yesterday that he would reactivate many of the cases that had been suspended against the fugitive. The new law on criminal procedures for political office holders, which came into force on September 28, authorised the Office of Attorney-General to proceed with cases in…
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When can I get my hands on a new iPhone in Thailand?
We revelled in the hype, we read all the leaks, we watched the launch. So when can we actually get our hands on a new iPhone in Thailand? Apple has now confirmed the release dates for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in the Land of Smiles. Roll the drums…. November 3rd. So how much will the new iPhones…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, October 6
Election delayed until 2019 | Laypang won’t be released to the wild | Kasikorn Bank has revised it’s predictions for Thai economy | Big drug haul in Phuket Town | Janitor gets special surprise from students.
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Economic forecasts being revised upwards
Kasikorn Research Centre has revised upwards its forecast for the nation’s GDP growth this year to 3.7 per cent from the previous projection of 3.4 per cent. Exports and a strong recovery in the tourism sector are the main drivers of the increased growth, said the centre’s managing director, Charl Kengchon on Thursday at a press conference on “Thai Economic…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, October 5
It’s a bomb, an old bomb | Joint statement from White House mentions new Thai elections | Civil aviation ‘report card’ verdict soon | Swarms of pink fire jellyfish at Koh Gai | Tesco Lotus closing 1,900 stores on October 26.
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