Thailand News
Discover the most recent and relevant news from across Thailand on The Thaiger’s National News page. Covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, crime, and lifestyle, our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
Stay informed about the latest developments in Thai society, economy, and culture, as well as updates on travel, tourism, and expat life. With The Thaiger, you’ll never miss out on the essential news that matters to you.
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Sponsored 8 Pneumonia prevention tips for expat families in Thailand
With World Pneumonia Day on November 9, it’s the perfect time to consider how you can protect your family from this serious illness, especially in Thailand, where unique climate and seasonal factors come into play. Pneumonia can be especially dangerous...
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‘Yellow shirt’ leaders facing possible prison sentence
The Thai Appeals Court has upheld a previous court decision over the involvement of 5 key Thai politicians and activists in violent 2008 demonstrations. A Thai TV news presenter and 3 former leaders of the disbanded People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), widely known as the “Yellow Shirts”, face a year in jail without suspension over their involvement in the 2008…
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Thai kindergarten forces students to wear military uniform, sparks outrage
A Thai kindergarten has been slammed online for forcing students to wear 4 different uniforms, including a “military uniform” on Thursdays. The public school in the western province of Kanchanaburi informed parents they must purchase the new uniforms before the new term begins on May 17. The preschool wants children aged 4 – 6 to wear 4 different uniforms: ‘normal’…
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New wages for Thailand’s skilled workers
Thailand’s cabinet has approved new wages for construction workers, industrial arts workers and service workers. The new wages are expected to come into effect 90 days after the announcement was made on Tuesday. In the construction industry, tilers considered ‘level 1’ will earn 465 baht per day. Those considered level 2 will earn 550 baht a day. Level 3 tilers…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 7,650 new cases; provincial totals
56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,252 with 7,554 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,650 new Covid-19 cases and 9,322 recoveries. There are now 78,274 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Some Thailand Post services to China suspended due to Covid-19 restrictions
Thailand Post says it’s had to suspend some postal services to China, as a result of the country’s strict Covid-19 measures. The service cites airline restrictions and strict lockdowns in China as the reason for the suspension. For the time being, according to a Nation Thailand report, no letters or parcels can be sent to China via EMS World or…
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3 cannabis medications added to Universal Healthcare Coverage
Three traditional cannabis based medications have been added to Universal Healthcare Coverage, commonly known as the gold card scheme, by the National Health Security Office. The three medications include: paralysis treatment, treatment for sleep problems and food consumption, and treatment for muscular pain and limb numbness. The three were approved by the NHSO board meeting on May 2nd, according to…
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“Get ready for Covid-19 to be declared endemic”
The Thai PM has ordered all provincial administrations to prepare for Covid-19 being declared endemic, by creating operation plans for their own provinces. According to government spokesman, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the PM’s order follows the decision to downgrade Thailand’s Covid-19 alert from Level 4 to Level 3, with the prospect of declaring the coronavirus ‘endemic’ sometime soon. Nation Thailand reports that…
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Thailand’s government will likely keep diesel subsidies
After much drama and anxiety over announcements that Thailand’s diesel price could eventually jump to 40 baht per litre, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced yesterday that the government will likely extend its subsidy programme that is due to end on May 20. The current subsidy has helped keep the price at about 32 baht per litre, even though the actual…
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Minister of Digital Economy and Society wants 42 websites banned
Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, has asked the court to ban access to 42 websites including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook pages that are spreading the controversial Lazada advert. He was responding to a contracted ad on e-commerse platform Lazada, where 2 influencers, Nara Aniwat and Thidaporn “Nurat” Chaokuwiang wear hi-so clothing, who royalists deemed to be…
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“Doctor loses”: Mor Chana Covid-19 application to be discontinued from June 1
Thailand’s once-mandatory Covid-19 tracking application “Mor Chana”, or Doctor Wins, will be discontinued from June 1. Mor Chana was once commonly used to track coronavirus cases and notify people if they had been exposed to Covid-19. Mor Chana, which was launched on April 29 2020, used GPS and Bluetooth to track the movement of users, who were expected to use…
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Elderly woman killed by toddy palm fruit in northeast Thailand
The body of an elderly lady was found lying face down beneath a palm tree in a rice paddy in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima this morning. The woman, 78 year old Dee Namchanad, was out cutting down toddy palm fruit to sell at the market when the fruit hit her in the head and killed her. A 6…
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Dog kills its owner’s sister in Phuket
A woman was found dead with bite marks on her neck at her home in Phuket in southern Thailand this morning. She was taking care of her brother’s two Thai ridgeback dogs while he was away on a business trip to Bangkok. One of the dogs had traces of blood on its mouth and fur. Police found 38 year old…
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Two Thai boys attempt to walk from Isaan to Phuket to visit their relatives
Or “Top and Tai’s Excellent Adventure”. Two teenage boys attempted to walk from the Isaan province of Udon Thani to Phuket in southern Thailand, a distance of some 1,450 kilometres, because they wanted to visit their relatives. The pair didn’t get very far. When they were spotted walking along the road in Udon Thani, they were sent back home for…
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A piece of ceiling at Phuket airport falls, one passenger sent to hospital
An aluminium ‘bar’ from Phuket Airport’s domestic terminal ceiling has fallen to the floor, just avoiding hitting a female passenger standing nearby. No injuries were reported, but the woman was in shock and fainted. Ceiling structures at Thailand’s airports have suffered from ‘gravity’ over the past few weeks. Yesterday, at 11.20 am, officials at Phuket airport’s domestic terminal were notified…
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Museum Siam launches Ukraine exhibition and Ukrainian language audio guide
Museum Siam in Bangkok will hold a photography exhibition entitled “Diverse Ukraine” to showcase Ukraine’s diverse national costumes from May 9 – May 29. The museum has also launched a Ukrainian language audio guide for their longstanding “Decoding Thainess” exhibition which explores what it means to be “Thai,” giving Ukrainian tourists the opportunity to learn about Thailand’s history, culture and…
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300,000 travellers arrive in Thailand during first week of May
About 300,000 international travellers have arrived in Thailand within the first week after the Thailand Pass program was simplified and the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes scrapped on May 1. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s “happy with the number of visitors” according to Government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. A proportion of the ‘visitors’ continues to be Thais. After removing the…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 6,230 new cases; provincial totals
53 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,196 with 7,498 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,230 new Covid-19 cases and 11,132 recoveries. There are now 80,002 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Labour Minister says government considering increasing minimum wage to 492 baht
Thailand’s Labour Minister says the government is considering increasing the daily minimum wage to 492 baht. Suchart Chomklin was addressing the Anti-Fake News Centre in an attempt to clarify rumours circulating on social media, according to a Nation Thailand report. “The ministry has discussed the raise with representatives of workers’ unions and businesses based on the rate submitted by the…
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14 year old boy accidentally shoots and kills himself in northern Thailand
A teenage boy from Phitsanulok province, northern Thailand, died yesterday afternoon after accidentally shooting himself in the neck with a gun. The boy was playing with the gun when it slipped out of his hands, according to his younger brother, who witnessed the incident. Yesterday at around 1:30pm, police officers from Nakhon Thai Police Station received a report that a…
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Anutin to give away 1 million cannabis plants to Thai households from next month
Thailand’s kind-hearted Public Health Minister says he will offer households a million cannabis plants for free from next month. Anutin Charnvirakul’s generous gesture is to mark June 9, from when people will be legally permitted to grow cannabis plants in their own homes. However, it will have to be medical-grade cannabis only and can only be used for medicinal purposes.…
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Thailand’s Covid-19 alert decreases to Level 3
Today, the Ministry of Public Health announced that Thailand’s Covid-19 alert level has decreased from Level 4 to Level 3 nationwide. Whether Thailand is ready to declare Covid-19 as endemic will depend on vaccination rates, according to the ministry. Director-General of the Disease Control Department Opas Kankawinpong said Level 3 means Thai residents still can’t go to bars and entertainment…
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Lazada-gate update: Lazada banned from entering Royal Thai Army premises
The Royal Thai Army is boycotting Lazada in the latest reaction following an advertisement deemed offensive to Thailand’s monarchy, which disappeared from TikTok shortly after it was uploaded last week. Thailand’s Army Chief has banned e-commerce giant Lazada from delivering packages into army premises, but says that soldiers still have the freedom to buy products from Lazada if they so…
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PM Prayut wants Thailand’s monks to clean their act up
Buddhist monks keep acting inappropriately, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has had enough. Yesterday, PM Prayut ordered the National Office of Buddhism to strengthen discipline among Thailand’s Buddhist monks, following a long string of cases of monks breaking the rules. The Sangha – the collective word for Thailand’s monastic community – has existed for thousands of years in Thailand.…
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Durian valued at 120 billion baht will be shipped to China this year
Thailand will export durians to the vale of 120 billion baht to China this year, about a 10% increase, according to Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chalermchai Sri-on. The Chinese government has set strict controls against fruit imports during their Covid-19 pandemic response. Thailand exported 875,100 tonnes of durian to China last year, valued at 109 billion baht. Thailand’s durian…
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Pattaya to ‘officially’ reopen floating restaurants and water activities
The Pattaya Marine Committee has held a meeting with representatives from local marine business to discuss legally reopening floating restaurants and other water activity services, like jet ski and parasailing. The committee unofficially agreed on the reopening plans but insists restaurants offer only traditional Thai shows at this stage – no parties, no dancers. The Pattaya News reported that some…
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Monday Covid Update: 6,488 new cases; provincial totals
55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,143 with 7,445 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,488 new Covid-19 cases and 12,755 recoveries. There are now 84,957 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Government economic agency says China’s zero-Covid policy hurting Thai economy
China’s relentless pursuit of a zero-Covid status, coupled with tough import restrictions, is having a negative impact on the Thai economy. So says the Thai economic planning agency, the National Economic and Social Development Council. According to a Nation Thailand report, the NESDC says it’s watching China closely, after a strict lockdown was enforced in Shanghai and other cities. “China’s…
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Nightlife venues in “blue zones” want permission to re-open from June 1
Thailand’s nightlife venues are demanding to be allowed re-open for business in “blue zone” tourism areas from June 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, the proposal is one of several being submitted to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today. Sa-nga Ruangwatthanakul from the association of Khao San Road business operators says the proposals are being put forward by over 10 associations…
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Store owner in northern Thailand donates school uniforms to needy families
As Thailand plans to reopen schools on May 17, a store owner in Northern Thailand’s province of Nakhon Sawan is donating old school uniforms to families who don’t have the money to buy their own. The store owner said that this is the second year the donation handout has been organised. He said that last year, there was a similar…
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Upcoming campaign to urge Bangkok to vote in governor election
Just 2 weeks ahead of Bangkok’s election for a new governor, the Election Commission will launch a campaign tomorrow urging the public to vote. The elections are to be held on May 22. Tomorrow (Monday), the campaign will be held at City Hall, and trucks with loudspeakers will drive through all 50 of Bangkok’s districts. Speakers will urge people to…
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