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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  • Wednesday Covid Update: 4,886 new cases; provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 4,886 new cases; provincial totals

    43 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,814 with 20,720 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 4,886 new Covid-19 cases and 6,326 recoveries. There are now 74,190 people in Thailand being…

  • Thailand’s exclusion from US Summit for Democracy could impact foreign investment

    Thailand’s exclusion from US Summit for Democracy could impact foreign investment

    The exclusion of Thailand from the US’s virtual Summit for Democracy could cause Thailand to lose foreign investment. More than 100 democratic nations were invited to the event hosted by US President Joe Biden while Thailand sits on the sidelines with other nations including Vietnam, Laos, China, and Russia. The summit focuses on three key themes: Defending against authoritarianism, addressing…

  • TAT predicts 500,000 travellers before 2022, 133,000 arrived so far

    TAT predicts 500,000 travellers before 2022, 133,000 arrived so far

    After 1 month of Thailand’s reopening, the Kingdom saw over 133,000 arrivals total from countries around the world, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand is confident that the goal of 500,000 international travellers will be met, despite the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 that has seen countries scrambling to limit or block travel from at-risk countries. In the month of…

  • Kanchanaburi park ranger reportedly stabbed co-worker, shot himself

    Kanchanaburi park ranger reportedly stabbed co-worker, shot himself

    A park ranger reportedly stabbed at co-worker to death before shooting himself. Apparently the two men had to an argument while installing cameras in a Thong Pha Phum district forest to study Bengal tigers. The Khao Laem National Park rangers were so deep in the forest that an army helicopter was sent to rescue the injured ranger. The head chief…

  • New variant casts shadow over Thailand Motor Expo, concerns outbreak could affect the industry

    New variant casts shadow over Thailand Motor Expo, concerns outbreak could affect the industry

    The uncertainty of the newly identified Covid-19 variant Omicron looms over today’s opening of the Thailand International Motor Expo as firms promote their new electric vehicle options. Many of the manufacturers at the exhibition worry that the new variant may force countries to return to lockdowns or take other measures that will hurt business as the global economy and Thai…

  • Cabinet sets aside over 5 billion baht to improve Bangkok’s public transportation

    Cabinet sets aside over 5 billion baht to improve Bangkok’s public transportation

    Yesterday, the two biggest transportation groups in Thailand, Bangkok Mass Transit Organisation (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), received subsidies from the Cabinet to cope with the loss as well as increase their liquidity. A total of 5 billion baht was given, with 2.28 billion going to BMTA and 3.38 billion going to SRT. The Cabinet has also…

  • Victoria’s Secret Thailand supplier faces labour abuse by laid off workers

    Victoria’s Secret Thailand supplier faces labour abuse by laid off workers

    Garment workers from Victoria’s Secret supplier Brilliant Alliance Thai Global filed a complaint yesterday with the National Human Rights Commission at the Government Complex in Bangkok. The complaint follows the charges filed against six labour activists for protesting illegally outside the Government House in Dusit district on October 19. The movement was led by the Triumph International Workers Union as…

  • Most face masks on sale in Thailand do not meet industry quality standards

    Most face masks on sale in Thailand do not meet industry quality standards

    The Thailand Consumer Council says that out of 60 face masks available in the country, only a fifth have passed quality tests. According to a Bangkok Post report, the TCC has called on the Thai Industrial Standards Institute to mandate the same safety standards for disposable face masks, which is currently a voluntary requirement. In July, the TCC randomly chose…

  • PM will decide on need for lockdown if and when Omicron found in Thailand

    PM will decide on need for lockdown if and when Omicron found in Thailand

    The health ministry says the Thai PM will decide what steps to take if and when the Omicron Covid-19 variant is found in the kingdom. The Bangkok Post reports that the relevant agencies have been instructed to continue monitoring the situation and the Public Health Ministry will review the country’s re-opening in 2 weeks’ time. Speaking to the Bangkok Post,…

  • PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says PCR tests will remain a requirement for foreign arrivals

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says PCR tests will remain a requirement for foreign arrivals

    Thailand will continue using the RT-PCR method to screen arrivals for Covid-19 as a preventative measure to keep the Omicron variant from reaching Thai soil. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced today that the Cabinet decided to reverse the CCSA’s decision to change the testing method to the faster, yet less reliable ATK method. The Thai government says the order on PCR…

  • More venues in Thailand require proof of vaccination, or ATK test, at the door

    More venues in Thailand require proof of vaccination, or ATK test, at the door

    Thailand’s future looks… vaccinated. More and more venues and events are embracing the government’s “Covid Free Setting” guidelines which call for not only staff, but customers to be fully vaccinated, or test negative for the virus, to be considered a “Covid free” area. Bangkok’s Khao San Road was blocked off the other weekend with bouncers checking documents and digital vaccination…

  • Tuesday Covid Update: 4,306 new cases; provincial totals

    Tuesday Covid Update: 4,306 new cases; provincial totals

    37 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,771 with 20,677 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,407 new Covid-19 cases and 6,165 recoveries. There are now 75,673 people in Thailand being…

  • Flash floods from heavy rain hit three districts in Surat Thani

    Flash floods from heavy rain hit three districts in Surat Thani

    Last night, villages in three districts in Southern Thailand’s Surat Thani province were hit by flash floods due to heavy rain and local rescue teams along with the military assisted residents in moving their belongings to higher ground. Governor Wichawut Jinto and Chamnong Sawatwong, chief of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, led the relief effort, which included territorial…

  • Thailand entry restrictions on African countries in response to Omicron

    Thailand entry restrictions on African countries in response to Omicron

    In response to the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 strain, which is designated by the World Health Organisation as a “variant of concern,” the Thai government has set a travel ban on those from eight African countries said to be of high risk of the newly found variant and imposed restrictions on those from other countries in Africa. Issuance of…

  • Ministry prepares to bring back Thais from eight African countries starting tomorrow

    Ministry prepares to bring back Thais from eight African countries starting tomorrow

    With Thai authorities issuing a travel ban on those from 8 African countries reporting the new Omicron variant, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing to bring Thai citizens in the high risk countries back to Thailand. Citizens living in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe can apply for a COE (certificate of entry) to return…

  • Bangkok’s Yellow Line skyrail starts test runs

    Bangkok’s Yellow Line skyrail starts test runs

    The newest addition to Bangkok’s skyrail is here.The Yellow Line, which travels from Lat Phrao to Samrong in Samut Prakan, has reportedly begun its test run since last Thursday from the maintenance depot near Sri Iam station in Bang Na district. The Yellow Line, which is a joint venture worth 54,768.455 million baht between Thailand’s Mass Rapid Transit Authority and…

  • Phuket yacht startup banks funding for 2022

    Phuket yacht startup banks funding for 2022

    The following is a press release from Boatcrowd. Chartering a private yacht is among the most exclusive, luxurious, and unforgettable experiences you can ever have. It opens you up to explorations and adventures that you would never experience on land, and it’s the perfect way to relax, enjoy, and see more of the world. As Covid restrictions are being lifted…

  • Public Health Ministry monitoring Omicron variant, public urged not to panic

    Public Health Ministry monitoring Omicron variant, public urged not to panic

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry says the public shouldn’t panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the ministry is monitoring the situation and on alert for possible Omicron cases. Meanwhile, people should continue to observe existing disease prevention measures. “The departments of Medical Sciences and Disease Control have been tasked with monitoring the new variant…

  • Bomb attack damages vehicles carrying ballot boxes from local election in Yala

    Bomb attack damages vehicles carrying ballot boxes from local election in Yala

    A bombing in the Deep South province Yala damaged several vehicles carrying ballot boxes from a local election. After the polls closed on Sunday for the Bannang Sata tambon administration organisation elections, eight vehicles were used to take the ballot boxes to the district office. As the vehicles drove on a rural road at around 7:55pm, a parked motorcycle exploded. A…

  • Crackdown on human trafficking as Thailand tries to upgrade its ranking

    Crackdown on human trafficking as Thailand tries to upgrade its ranking

    Thailand is to get tough on people smugglers, according to deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon in a Bangkok Post report today. The government aims to upgrade the country’s 2022 ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons Report, after being downgraded to the Tier 2 Watchlist in this year’s report. Being given a Tier 2 Watchlist ranking means a government is deemed…

  • “Sandbox” stay shortened to 5 days for vaccinated travellers from overseas

    “Sandbox” stay shortened to 5 days for vaccinated travellers from overseas

    The mandatory stay under the “sandbox” re-entry scheme has been shortened to 5 days for vaccinated travellers entering Thailand. At its general meeting on Friday chaired by the prime minister, the CCSA to cut the stay under “sandbox” regulations from 7 days down to 5. “Happy Quarantine,” as tourism officials call it, has also been cut to 5 days for…

  • Renovation of Hua Lamphong may wait another three years: BMA

    Renovation of Hua Lamphong may wait another three years: BMA

    It might be another two to three years until Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong station is developed for commercial use. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Office of Town Planning and Development has today put a hold to the State Railway of Thailand’s request to develop station and surrounding buildings for another two or three years. According to reports, the 120-rai site planned for…

  • Monday Covid Update: 4,753 new cases; provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 4,753 new cases; provincial totals

    27 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,734 with 20,640 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 4,753 new Covid-19 cases and 6,165 recoveries. There are now 77,811 people in Thailand being…

  • Thai officials mull over testing methods for arrivals following Omicron emergence

    Thai officials mull over testing methods for arrivals following Omicron emergence

    With the emergence of the Omicron variant, just as Thailand was easing travel regulations, the Thai government is mulling over whether to reverse its plan to replace RT-PCR tests with the less accurate, but faster and cheaper antigen tests, or ATK, for arrivals from overseas. The CCSA held an emergency meeting over the weekend in response to the news of…

  • Bangkok police say restaurateurs could face jail time for serving alcohol after 9pm

    Bangkok police say restaurateurs could face jail time for serving alcohol after 9pm

    Police in Bangkok are warning restaurant owners that if alcohol is served after 9pm, they will face legal action… possibly even up to a year in jail and a fine up to 100,000 baht. Restaurants in the capital are allowed to serve beer, wine and cocktails up until 9pm, if they have passed standards set under the Safety and Health…

  • Survey reveals most respondents oppose legalising pornography in Thailand

    Survey reveals most respondents oppose legalising pornography in Thailand

    A new survey is revealing that a majority of respondents oppose legalising pornography in Thailand. The National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, conducted the survey over the phone between November 22nd and the 24th. The 18 years of age and older respondents with varying levels of education and occupations seemed to point towards a vast majority of Thais…

  • Siam Seaplane makes getting to your destination so much easier

    Siam Seaplane makes getting to your destination so much easier

    Sponsored Article There’s an innovative new company that is going to drastically reduce the time required to get to your holiday destination and get to those hard to get to beach resorts in the Land of Smiles. Siam Seaplane will offer Thailand’s first premium amphibious seaplane service, providing faster, easier and seamless access to waterfront locations such as resorts, and…

  • Omicron Covid-19 variant isn’t in Thailand, DDC director says

    Omicron Covid-19 variant isn’t in Thailand, DDC director says

    The Omicron Covid-19 variant isn’t in Thailand, director-general of the Department of Disease Control said yesterday, assuring the public that the mutated strain of the virus virus is not “travelling” into the country by tourists. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said that all “sandbox” visitors are being closely and stringently monitored by health authorities. “All 1,007 travellers from South Africa who recently…

  • French expat being denied re-entry to Thailand over repeated criticism of the Thai monarchy

    French expat being denied re-entry to Thailand over repeated criticism of the Thai monarchy

    One of Thailand’s long term French expats Yan Marchal is being denied reentry to Thailand. He says he is being expelled to Paris from Bangkok, as soon as tonight, for being a long term critic of the Thai government and Monarchy. Yan says he could appeal the ‘deportation’. “I have been advised to fly out rather than to expose myself…

  • COVID-19 SATURDAY: 6,073 infections, 32 deaths, provincial data

    COVID-19 SATURDAY: 6,073 infections, 32 deaths, provincial data

    Today, the CCSA reported 6,073 new Covid-19 infections, down 486 since yesterday, and 32 Coronavirus-related deaths, half as many as yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,072,086 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,538 recoveries, up 337…