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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Crayfish alien species found at Phetchabun waterfall, Thais discuss potential effects to ecosystem
After a non-native species of crayfish was found at a Northern Thailand waterfall, some are discussing the effects the species can have on the environment. A photo of a Redcraw crayfish, originating from Australia, at a waterfall in Phetchabun, sparked a debate about the potential damage this “freshwater lobster” can cause to the local ecosystem. Crayfish (also known as crawfish,…
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Thai woman dresses as bear to sell more Kratom
Now that kratom is legal in Thailand, one woman in the Isaan province Buriram is dressing up in a bear costume and standing on the side of the road to attract business. Apparently, it has worked and her roadside sales of kratom leaves have shot up to over 1,000 baht per day. 40 year old Monradee Mordham from Udon Thani has…
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Thai villagers put up sign told tell an aggressive elephant to go away
After attempts to lure a hot-tempered elephant back into a wildlife sanctuary failed, locals in the village where the elephant has wreaked havoc, destroying plantations and killing an elderly woman, have put up a sign – even though the elephant cannot read – telling the animal to go away. Park officials in eastern province Prachin Buri were ordered to detain…
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Flash flood warning in Phuket, southern Thailand
Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi are expected to face flash flooding following heavy rainfall today and tomorrow, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is expected to move northward resulting in a cyclone on the southern west coast of Thailand. Increased rainfall and heavy winds are also expected in…
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Nok Air asks for time to promote routes to new Betong airport after cancelling flights
Yala’s new Betong International Airport is open for business, but you might be hard-pressed to book a flight there. Nok Air has suspended its route from Bangkok to Betong, saying it needs an additional two to three months to promote the airport among domestic and foreign tourists before it can reopen the route. Last week, Nok Air cancelled its flights…
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200 crocodiles on sale in Trang, southern Thailand
A crocodile farmer in Trang has slashed his prices after accumulating 450 crocodiles which he has found hard to shift since the coronavirus pandemic began. Around 200 of the crocodiles are currently for sale for the cheap price of 3,500 baht to 6,000 baht each, depending on the size. Before the pandemic began, Sommart Srisuk sold the crocodiles for 8,000…
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Most of Thailand to be hit by heavy rainfall today and tomorrow
Get your umbrellas out, you’re going to need them in most parts of the country today and tomorrow. The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast “very heavy rain” for the north, central Thailand, and the east coast of the southern region. A cyclone in the Bay of Bengal is the reason for the wet conditions, according to the TMD, with a…
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ADB reports Southeast Asian countries well-positioned to bounce back from COVID-19
Press Release The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic pushed 4.7 million people in Southeast Asia into extreme poverty in 2021, as 9.3 million jobs disappeared, compared with a baseline no-COVID scenario, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report presented at the Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). The Omicron wave could cut the region’s economic growth by as much as…
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Health officials express concern over risk to elderly unvaccinated during Songkran
Health officials are urging the elderly population to come forward for vaccination or boosters ahead of next month’s Songkran holiday. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Department of Disease Control says new data shows an increase in severe illness and Covid-related deaths in the elderly. DDC boss Sopon Iamsirithaworn says those returning to their home provinces over Songkran risk…
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Hospitality sector, tourism operators call for entry restrictions to be dropped now
Businesses, particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sectors, say July 1 – the date the government hopes to declare Covid-19 endemic – is too long to wait for restrictions to be lifted. As operators watch what’s happening in neighbouring countries, Thailand’s tourism sector is feeling anxious. According to a Bangkok Post report, Chamnan Srisawat from the Tourism Council of…
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Samut Prakan woman kills son’s friend in bloody fight
A woman stabbed a man to death in Samut Prakan last night, claiming the man chased her son with a wooden stick. She said she first tried to stop the man from hurting her son, but then he hit her with the stick. The woman’s son, Vorakan, told police he been drinking with the man and a group of their…
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Top Bangkok virologist compares not getting vaccinated to “walking into traffic”
In a Facebook post yesterday, Thailand’s most renowned virologist compared remaining unvaccinated from Covid-19 to walking into speeding Bangkok traffic. He commented on how elderly Thais have had reservations about being vaccinated, even though they are a high-risk group. “… like inviting an accident by stepping off the pavement into the busy traffic on Silom Road.” The virologist, Yong Poovorawan,…
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Tangmo: Fresh autopsy of Thai actress dispels suspicions (preliminary findings)
A second autopsy of the body of Thai actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharavirapong was conducted Thursday afternoon by the Central Institute of Forensic Science at Thammasat University Hospital in Bangkok. The actress’ mother, Panida Sirayootyotin, requested the re-examination to confirm her daughter’s cause of death and to dispel any skepticism surrounding the high-profile investigation. READ: Tangmo: Panel to verify 2nd autopsy…
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Iconic Thai rockstar writes song “Let go of Covid”, calls to end Covid-19 restrictions
An iconic Thai rockstar released a song this week calling on Thailand’s government to lift all Covid-19 restrictions. The song is titled “Let go of Covid”. The singer, known to Thais as ‘Aed Carabao’, said in a post that he went to a football tournament in the UK, and was shocked by how much life had returned to normal compared…
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Thailand’s State of Emergency extended, again
Two years into Thailand’s reaction to the Covid pandemic, Thailand’s State of Emergency will remain in effect after being extended for another two months. The emergency decree allows the Government to tackle the outbreak through its Covid-19 task force – the CCSA. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration makes decisions, relating to internal Covid policy and government reaction, on the run…
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Unpacking the long and winding road to ‘endemic’ in Thailand – latest changes to Covid restrictions
Strap in for the tortuous journey towards Thailand’s opening up without the Covid red tape – a four month trip where the country’s long list of confusing and sometimes conflicting restrictions will slowly be binned. But even when we get to July, if all goes to plan (it rarely does), we will still face a number of lingering questions about…
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Another dry Songkran. No water fights for the Thai New Year
It’s going to be another dry Songkran. For the third time, water fights have been banned for the Thai New Year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The holiday, which is April 13 to 15 this year, is celebrated with massive water fights with crowds shooting water guns, spraying water hoses, and dumping buckets of water on each other. Everyone gets…
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Thailand prepares to transition to an endemic phase by July 1
Thailand plans to declare Covid-19 an endemic by July 1 and has laid out a plan to focus on reducing infection rates and coronavirus-related deaths by swift and accessible medical treatment, as well as by accelerating the rollout of booster dose vaccines, particularly to the elderly. During a press briefing today, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha Covid-19 said Covid-19 is still a…
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Zoning revised: Chiang Mai open to tourism, restrictions ease in several provinces
Restrictions are easing across Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai. The northern province is now fully open to international tourism and can welcome travellers entering under the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes. Restaurants in Chiang Mai can also serve alcohol until 11pm. A number of provinces have been reclassified on the Thai government’s colour-coded zoning scale based on local Covid-19…
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Thailand’s State of Emergency extended, Covid-19 is still a pandemic – PM Prayut
Two years into the pandemic, Thailand’s State of Emergency is still in effect and has been extended for another two months, giving the government sweeping powers to tackle the outbreak through its establishment of a Covid-19 task force. The decree was extended from April 1 to May 31. In a press conference today, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said Covid-19 is still…
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PM Prayut and Ministry of Energy’s guide to saving fuel and energy this summer
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is inviting those in Thailand to join forces and save energy to combat the global energy crisis together. He suggests setting your air conditioner at 27 degrees Celsius and using a fan in tandem to save energy. Prayut and the Ministry of Energy have some tips on how to keep your fuel costs and energy bills from…
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Singapore and Thailand to discuss cruise trips to Phuket
Cruise trips from Singapore to Phuket are in the works, with plans to offer the trip to fully vaccinated tourists starting in the third quarter of 2022. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control will hold talks with Singapore authorities to negotiate requirements for travellers, which may include proof of a rapid antigen test, or ATK, taken within 24 hours before departure as…
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Bodies of 3 teenagers found in Kanchanaburi’s Kwai Noi river
Authorities have found the bodies of the three siblings who went missing in the Kwai Noi River in Kanchanaburi on Wednesday. The body of 15 year old Naen and the body of 18 year old Champa were found in the river early this morning while the body of 18 year old Champi was found this afternoon. Yee, a family friend…
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Thailand’s Miss Tiffany transgender pageant finalist denied entry into Dubai due to gender
A first-runner up for Thailand’s Miss Tiffany beauty pageant for transgender women was denied entry to Dubai when immigration at the airport questioned her about her gender. Her passport says she is male. Apparently, she had to wait hours at the airport and talk to various authorities about her gender and surgery. Rachaya “Mick” Noppakaroon was the 2014 Miss Tiffany’s…
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Mask up! PM Prayut says Thailand’s mask mandate is still in effect
Mask up! Although Thailand is on track to declare Covid-19 as endemic in the next few months, for the time being, the nationwide mask mandate is still in effect. In a press briefing today, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said the mask mandate is not being lifted and there has been no meeting on the subject yet. There have been reports on…
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Friday Covid Update: 27,071 new cases; provincial totals
80 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 24,075 with 2,377 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 27,071 new Covid-19 cases and 21,522 recoveries. There are now 230,603 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Thailand’s electricity tariff expected to surge higher than ever
After Thailand’s Energy Regulation Commission announced yesterday that the electricity price could rise to four baht per kilowatt hour, the ERC now says it will rise to a record high above that. The ERC says this will be the first time the price has surged this high. The fuel tariff is expected to be 0.24 baht per unit between May…
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Phuket man posts photos of teen girls in underwear on Facebook
A man in Phuket posted photos of teenage girls in underwear on an unnamed “popular Phuket Facebook page”. The girls allegedly ranged from early to mid teens. One girl wore shorts and a training bra, and another wore a bra and unbuttoned jeans. Online viewers accused the man of “deceiving” the girls into taking off their clothes, according to The…
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Public Health Minister “suggests” Thais focus on family, not booze, during Songkran
As Thais wait for officials to announce today whether Songkran water festivals will happen in April, Public Health Minister Anutin suggests they completely skip the alcohol. At a press conference yesterday, Anutin confirmed Thais will be allowed to travel and visit family. He said Thais should focus on family and “traditional religious activities”, according to The Pattaya News. Anutin “asked”…
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Alcohol lobby groups call for 2pm – 5pm booze sales ban to be lifted
As Thai laws go, it’s one of the more confusing ones, as evidenced by the sight of frowning tourists scratching their heads as they stand in front of a 7 Eleven fridge at the wrong time of day. In Thailand, alcoholic drinks can be sold from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to midnight. If you fancy a couple of…
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