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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Tuesday Covid Update: 6,397 new cases, provincial totals
18 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,956 with 258 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,397 new Covid-19 cases and 6,637 recoveries. There are now 81,952 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Teenagers arrested for allegedly stealing batteries, steel railings from a train station
Two 19 year olds were arrested and charged for allegedly stealing batteries from trucks who also admitted to stealing stainless steel railings from a train station in Samut Prakan yesterday. Following the warrant issued by the district court, police stopped the motorbike of two suspects on Soi Dan Samrong 24/66 in Muang district’s tambon Samrong Nuea and arrested them at…
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Bangkok field hospitals fill with patients, Prayut urges Thais not to let their guard down
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is urging Thais to not lower their guard when it comes to Covid-19, especially the new variant Omicron, and follow the universal measurements strictly, according to a government spokesperson. The reminder came after 2,611 new patients flocked to field hospitals in Bangkok over the weekend. Government Spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says the prime minister expressed his concern about…
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7 people rescued after speedboat from Koh Chang hits rocks, sinks
A group travelling by speedboat from Koh Chang had to be rescued after the boat hit rocks, causing it to take on water and sink. The seven people on board the speedboat, including the skipper, were floating in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Trat’s Koh Lim for around two hours. The group had been travelling from the…
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Thai government to help dropouts return to school
Several government agencies are collaborating on a new initiative to assist children who have dropped out of school to return and complete their education. At the project’s launch ceremony yesterday, Thailand’s Education Minister and heads of related agencies signed a memorandum of understanding for the project. Education ministry records have recorded 238,707 child dropouts in Thailand. Reasons for dropping out…
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A 29 year old man in Pattaya allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death
A 29 year old man in the eastern suburbs of Pattaya City was admitted to a local medical facility on Sunday night after he allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death before attempting suicide. At around 11pm on the night of the incident, police and emergency responders found the body of a 39 year old woman on the floor with five…
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Tourism ministry to cut budget for tour package subsidy after scheme flops
The government plans to cut the budget for its tour package subsidy scheme, which received a lukewarm reception among Thais. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Tourism & Sports Ministry will also reduce the number of tour packages available from 1 million to 200,000. Tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn admits the Tour Teaw Thai scheme hasn’t really had the desired…
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Over 95% of content Thailand asks Google to remove is government criticism – the highest rate in the world
A study by virtual private network firm Surfshark shows that since 2011, Thailand has submitted 1,147 requests for Google to remove content. The Bangkok Post reports that over 95% of those requests was about content considered critical of the government – the highest rate in the world. As part of the study, Surfshark says it analysed Google’s Transparency Report. Thailand…
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Senior Thai doctor says Covid-19 could lead to long term side effects
A Covid-19 infection could cause long-term side effects in people after they have recovered, including fatigue and cognitive impairment, according to a top doctor at the Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine. The doctor, Thira Woratanarat, analysed over 80 research works of Covid survivors. These long-term side effects, known as “long Covid,” can even impact people who were never hospitalised for…
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126 Burmese migrants seeking jobs arrested in Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai for illegal entry
Thai border authorities arrested 126 people from Myanmar for allegedly crossing the Thai border illegally on Sunday, evading the mandatory quarantine and immigration screening. The arrested people had reportedly crossed into Chiang Mai and Kanchanaburi provinces. Four men and eight women were caught in Sangkhala Buri District, while patrols found 38 men and 38 women hiding in bushes next to…
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Demand for crocodile meat doubles following rise in pork prices
The number of crocodiles slaughtered for meat each month has doubled to 20,000 following the spike in prices for pork. This trend is giving hope to crocodile farmers who have lost business due to the pandemic, said Yosapong Temsiripong, president of the Thai Crocodile Farmer Association. Due to the massive drop in tourism, he said, farmers have been much less…
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City Guide: Where to shop till you drop in Bangkok
Bangkok is known the world over for it markets, temples, street food, walking streets, tuk tuks and ladyboys, to name a few. But this bustling city also offers a dazzling array of shopping hotspots. From its countless, colourful night markets indulging the bargain hunter’s dream to the glitz and glamour of upscale shopping malls — which one is the best…
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Thailand’s Health Ministry to propose reopening Test & Go registration
The Public Health Ministry plans to make a proposal to reopen registration for the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told Thai media today of his plan to make the proposal to the CCSA for this week’s meeting. The proposal needs approval from Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration before travellers can register for the entry…
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Monday Covid Update: 6,929 new cases, provincial totals
13 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,938 with 240 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,929 new Covid-19 cases and 5,255 recoveries. There are now 82,210 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Thailand reports second Omicron-related death, Covid fatality toll on a downward slope
The second death related to the Omicron Covid-19 variant in Thailand was reported today by the CCSA. Both deaths were elderly women with serious pre-existing health conditions who contracted the virus from infected family members. While cases involving the highly transmissible Omicron variant are on the rise in Thailand, the strain has proven to be less severe and the country’s…
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Thailand’s first virtual monk targets at new generation Buddhists
Thailand is now using artificial intelligence to spread Buddhist messages. Meet Phra Maha AI, Thailand’s first virtual monk. He’s 30 years old, but says he understands the “teenage world.” The AI abbot shares easy-to-understand doctrine in an effort to target the new generation. He just had his first interview with Thai media, telling reporters that his Thai creator and developing…
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Hackers target Twitter account of Thai Revenue Department
The government has advised netizens to be cautious after the Revenue Department’s Twitter account was hacked by unknown attackers. According to a Thai PBS World report, the hackers deleted nearly all previous tweets on the account and changed its name to Revenue/NFT. They then posted just one tweet, which read, “I’m looking to collaborate with NFT projects. DM (direct message)…
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Cobra Gold military exercise downsized this year due to Omicron spread
Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold military exercise, where Thai soldiers train the US and other foreign troops on jungle survival skills, is being scaled down this year due to the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The large, multinational military exercise has been known for its snake decapitating demonstration where soldiers drink the fresh blood from the headless snake before…
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413 Bars in Bangkok ask permission to reopen as restaurants
More than 400 bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues in Bangkok have applied for permission to reopen as restaurants. The venues have been closed since April due to strict disease control measures. The government delayed its plan to allow bars and nightclubs to reopen in mid-January due to the Omicron outbreak in Thailand, but decided to allow the venues to apply for…
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Tourists unsure about new 300-baht fee, question how money will be spent
The jury’s out on Thailand’s new 300-baht tourism fee, with foreigners expressing reservations about its introduction. The Thai government has confirmed that all overseas arrivals will have to pay the 300-baht levy from April. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, a number of foreigners have questioned how the money will be spent. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana has previously stated that the…
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Alibi for 2 tigers killed results in an additional charge for suspects
In the continuing saga of the 5 men accused of having killed 2 Bengal tigers, skinning them, and cooking their meat, the alibi they used to justify the poaching may end up backfiring on them as they are slapped with an additional charge. They were already charged with 10 different offences relating to the poaching including violating the Forest Reserve…
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Poll: majority favour new draft bill that regulates NGOs
In a new NIDA poll, questions about a controversial draft bill aimed at regulating NGOs operating in Thailand showed that people generally support the regulation. The poll, conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration, asked people a variety of questions about how non-governmental organisations operate within Thailand. The topic has been controversial with many activists and some human rights…
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Can you protest in Thailand as a foreigner?
Can a foreigner in Thailand go out on to the streets and protest and express his opinion? Will you get dragged away by the police and put into jail? Should you be protesting at all even though it might not have anything to do with you as a guest in the country? What are the things you can and can’t…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY: Record low deaths, 8,077 infections
Today, Covid-19 deaths fell to single digits for the first time since at least the beginning of April of last year, hospitalisations have increased, but severe cases in the ICU have fallen. The CCSA reported 8,077 new Covid-19 infections (though the provincial reports say only 7795), up 284 since yesterday, and 9 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 9 from yesterday. Since April…
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Pork, petrol and noodles – inflation impacting prices in Thailand
Heading into 2022, the ‘I’ word is spooking economists around the world as they look at tools to try and control rampant inflation. Even in Thailand there has been big rises in staples, making headlines this week, particularly in the pork industry. Meat and produce prices have been sneaking up and now impacting the cost of living for everyone living…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: Hospitalisations double in a week, 10 million boosters
Today, the CCSA reported 7,793 new Covid-19 infections, down 365 since yesterday, and 18 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 3 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,287,535 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 21,916 total deaths from the pandemic. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the…
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Covid-19 exposure quarantine may be reduced to 7 days
As officials reevaluate the Covid-19 restrictions piled on with the outbreak of the Omicron variant, the current directive of 14-day quarantine for groups who are considered at risk with Covid-19 infections may be reduced to just 7 days. The Permanent Secretary for Public Health said that the Ministry of Public Health is considering reducing the time that people are kept…
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Omicron stabilising, officials consider easing Covid-19 restrictions
While infections of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have caused a sharp rise in the daily statistics, deaths and even hospitalisations have not been as affected, causing the Ministry of Public Health to call for an easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Numbers of fatalities, as well as those on ventilators and in ICUs still remain low, says Minister of Public Health…
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Molnupiravir, the Covid-19 pill, to be developed in Thailand
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation is planning to partner with Chulabhorn Research Institute to develop a domestic version of Molnupiravir, the Covid-19 antiviral pill. The announcement was made by Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul in response to the rising Omicron variant outbreak proliferating across Thailand, sending daily infection rates soaring again. Molnupiravir was developed in the US by a joint…
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More than 100 Burmese job seekers detained for allegedly entering Thailand illegally
Amidst thousands of refugees legally fleeing into Thailand’s soil due to fighting escalating near the Thai border, job seekers from Myanmar are also trying to cross the border by natural passageways, evading immigration checkpoints and mandatory quarantine. Reports say many have been paying fees of nearly 22,000 baht (US$ 666) to brokers to cross over to Thailand. On Thursday alone,…
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