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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Tobacco giant survey says Thais want smoke-free alternatives
Thai people prefer less harmful products to cigarettes, due mainly to health concerns. These are some the results from a new survey on the tobacco industry and providing smoke-free alternatives. The study, by Philip Morris (Thailand) part of the largest transnational tobacco company in the world, found that 64 per cent of 1,200 smokers and non-smokers nationwide said they would…
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Luxury watch probe to be wrapped up this month
The long-running investigation into the scandal surrounding the luxurious wristwatches worn by Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan is to be wrapped up and the findings announced at the end of this month. NACC (National Anti-Corruption Commission) secretary-general Worawit Sukboon says the panel conducting the investigation had already received information from the watch manufacturers about the expensive wristwatches and their serial numbers.…
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“Lift all human rights restrictions” – Amnesty International
Amnesty International is calling on the NCPO to end all its restrictions on human rights in Thailand before the next election which has now been confirmed as February 24 following yesterday’s meeting between the Junta and political parties. Amnesty says the Thai authorities must drop all, what it describes as, arbitrary restrictions on human rights and peaceful political activities before the…
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Election date confirmed for February 24 next year
PHOTO: Deputy PM Wissanu Kreangam arrives at the Army Club in Bangkok – The Nation Make it a date. February 24 is now the official date of the next Thai general election. The poll date has now been confirmed after years of delays, mis-starts and excuses. The NCPO has now announced that the ban on political activities will be lifted…
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Truck ploughs into a Phitsanulok market killing one person
PHOTOS: The Nation One person is dead and another hospitalised after a trailer truck ploughed into stalls at a market in Phitsanulok this morning. The 64 year old river Thavorn Noppawan remained at the market in Bang Krathum district until police arrived, but it remains unclear how or why he lost control and swerved into the crowd of shoppers. Police…
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The rich do get richer, at least in Thailand
A study released by the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Databook 2018 has shed light on some disturbing trends looming for Thailand. Now, taking first place from Russia and India, Thailand has been ranked as the most unequal country by the study. To put things into perspective, here are a few of the statistics you can find in the report. Thailand…
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Dystopian Thai film approved by censor board
A new Thai movie ’10 Years Thailand’ will screen nation wide next week after having finally been approved by the censor board last Monday. The film is a dystopian anthology made by four Thai film makers and is based on the 2015 Hong Kong film ‘Ten Years’. The film is directed by Aditya Assarat, Wisit Sasanatieng, Chulayarnon Siriphol and Apichatpong…
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No public displays of affection for Prayut and Theresa May
Following a lot of criticism, a billboard supporting Prayut Chan-o-cha as the PM after the general election, has been taken down in Ratchaburi, while an investigation takes place by provincial election commission officials. The billboard in question had British PM Theresa May shaking hands with Gen Prayut, claiming the English PM was already in full support of the Thai Prime…
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
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Political parties boycotting todays meeting are ‘trouble makers’
Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also defence minister and luxury watch enthusiast, says that parties boycotting today’s meeting were troublemakers. Meanwhile, the Thai PM claims the missing political parties were like boxers who refused to abide by the rules of the fight and would not listen to the referee’s explanations. But political scientist says this only points to the…
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Rolling out the e-visas – cutting time in immigration queues
Thailand has officially launched its new e-Visa on Arrival (E-VOA) application system. This way foreigners from approved countries will be able to apply for their visa before their travel date, online, and avoid paperwork and approval when they arrive. The new system is expected to cut processing times to little more than one minute when passengers arrive and is seen…
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Event Round-Up – December 2018
by The Sponsorship Experts – Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co. Ltd. The festive season is here and with it a slew of events from music and flower festivals to yachting events and road races. The month starts off with the popular Phuket King’s Cup Regatta running until December 8. Held for the 32nd time, it is one of Asia’s…
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Political parties give the NCPO a cold shoulder
PHOTO: Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjaajiva – The Nation Thank you… next. Thai political parties are saying thanks, but no thanks, to an invitation to meet with the NCPO tomorrow for a ‘briefing’ about the forthcoming election. The number of parties boycotting tomorrow’s meeting with the junta is growing with Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjaajiva announcing his party also will not be attending. The…
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Thai PM foreshadows coming Royal coronation
The Thai PM has announced that His Majesty’s coronation will take place after the next general election, slated for February 24 next year. Gen Prayut says the government is waiting for the King to issue a royal command which would announce the date and set in motion the schedule for the coronation ceremonies. As part of the traditional ceremony, water…
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Living with elephants – avoiding problems in Khao Yai national park
Khao Yai National Park, north of Bangkok, is instructing tourists how not to anger the park’s wild elephants as they walk on or besides the roads. Tourists travelling to the national park from Prachin Buri Province at the Noen Hom entrance are likely to meet wild elephants in the morning and evening, according to national park officials. They are likely…
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Bangkok #2, Phuket #11 – World’s most popular destinations
“Phuket rank 11th with about 11.9 million tourist arrivals this year, higher than last year’s 11.6 million arrivals making it Thailand’s most important economy outside Bangkok.” Bangkok has come in second place in the list of the world’s top cities for tourism. The list has been compiled by Euromonitor International. Their Top 100 City Destinations 2018 report has just been…
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Government poised to cast tax net over online transactions
As the world continues its relentless move online, and away from traditional retail, governments are having to find new ways to track and tax online transactions. The Thai Revenue Department is poised to cast a wider net over online vendors and other businesses that have been evading taxes. The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is soon to approve amendments to the…
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PM says joining Palang Pracharat “is under consideration”
PHOTO: Asia Times In the first real official hint he may be about to enter the political fray for next year’s Thai general election, the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha admits that the pro-military Palang Pracharat Party would be a choice if he is to jump into politics. Normally shrugging off such questions, he was answering a reporter’s question and said aligning…
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How much should you be paid working in Thailand?
The Thailand Board of Investment has an entire website listing key jobs and the wages that should be expected to be earned in the land of smiles. The webpage also lists years of experiences, penalty rates, public holidays, overtime payments and severance entitlements. So, as a Senior accountant, with five years experience, you should be earning up to 80,000 baht…
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Registration renewals will be denied to traffic fine non-payers
Maybe it belongs in the same category as the Patong Tunnel or the Phuket Light Rail – those stories that just drag on for, well, decades… Now the Land Transport Department is finally claiming they’re ready to link the data bases from the Police and Land Transport so they can better track traffic offenders who haven’t paid their fines. The…
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December 4 – Thailand’s national day of shame
Today is Thai Environment Day. Today convenience stores, trade stores and shopping malls will refrain from providing single-use plastic bags to shoppers and at the same time will campaign for donation of cloth bags to be distributed to hospitals for containing medicines. Whether any of this actually happens, we will see. The proposed plastic bag-free day is the outcome of…
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Friday meeting to discuss lifting political restrictions
PHOTO: Facebook/prayutofficial The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is set to chair a meeting at the end of this week with representatives of the Election Commission and political parties at the Army Club in Bangkok to discuss issues related to the yet-unconfirmed February 24 election. The meeting expects to lift political restrictions and allow parties to launch election campaigns. Spokeswoman of…
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E-visas available from February 2019. China first country.
The Consular Affairs department is launching a new e-visa service from February 2019. It will initially available in China and then expand to other countries over a period of three years. Kasikornbank Bank is co-operating with the Consular Affairs unit to handle the e-payments, . The service will be available from February 15, 2019 and, initially, for residents of Beijing only.…
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Full steam ahead for the Thai high-speed railway
PHOTO: CRRC Corporation “CRRC has also provided subways and high-speed trains for the US, Argentina, Brazil and Singapore.” Imagine getting on a train in Bangkok and being in Nakhon Ratchasima, in Thailand’s central north-east, within an hour. That’s what will happen when the first of the Thai/Chinese joint venture high-speed trains are launched. The construction for the Bangkok/Nakon Ratchasima link…
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Internet freebies rolled out for Christmas
The government is finalising plans to give more than 11 million low-income Thai citizens free internet SIM cards and other subsidies that will together cost taxpayers billions of baht. The roll out is part of a charm offensive from the ruling NCPO in the lead up to next year’s poll, scheduled for February 24. The Finance Ministry is proposing that…
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Measles outbreak closes Tak school
A school near the Myanmar border in Tak’s Mae Ramat district has been closed indefinitely after local public-health officials discovered 13 students were contagious with measles. Tak is on Thailand’s central west border with Myanmar. Six of the students from the New Road Learning Centre are currently in serious condition in hospital. Most of the school’s students are Burmese children…
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World AIDS Day Thailand: Know your status
The Ministry of Public Health has set a target to resolve AIDS problems by reducing the number of new cases of people infected with HIV to a maximum of 1,000, and the fatality rate of AIDS sufferers to not exceeding 4,000 cases per year by the year 2030. The announcements come on World Aids Day, December 1. Thai PBS reports…
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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Influx of Indian tourists expected over the next decade
PHOTO: LookEast Magazine Tourism from India will increase markedly over the next ten years. This prediction from the head of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Wichit Prakorpkoson. By 2028 he says he expects 10 million Indian visitors each year. About Chinese tourism, the ATTA chief say he expected the numbers to slow from previous trends but there will still be 20…
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Thaiger Radio News – Saturday
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