Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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Thai youth survey reveals four key concerns ahead of National Youth Day
A recent comprehensive survey conducted by the technical centre of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, assessing approximately 20,000 Thai youths aged between 15 and 21, unveiled four significant concerns looming ahead of the National Youth Day scheduled for this Wednesday. The first concern centred on the continued adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on youths from economically challenged single-parent families…
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Swift death of 13 year old Thai schoolgirl after PE exam highlights urgency of medical attention
A sudden tragedy unfolded when a 13 year old Thai schoolgirl mysteriously died shortly after a physical education (PE) examination at school. The Thai girl’s heartbroken mother shared the shocking sequence of events on a social media group for parents, emphasizing the swiftness of the unfortunate incident. On June 22, the young Thai girl had a normal day at school,…
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79 year old Thai man arrested for kidnapping mentally disabled girl
Police arrested a 79 year old Thai man on charges of kidnapping an 11 year old mentally disabled girl from Chaiyaphum, a province in Isaan, and transporting her to the northern province of Tak. The suspect is said to have a high sexual appetite and a history of physical abuse against others. Mirror Foundation Director Ekkarak Lumchumkae received a complaint…
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Thai economy faces scrutiny amid recession fears and slow pandemic recovery
The Thai economy is in the spotlight as concerns over a looming recession persist due to the nation’s weak export outlook and slow recovery from the pandemic. Last week, the government faced heavy criticism from opposition parties and business leaders during a Thai economy policy debate, with the latter expressing concerns over the lack of detail in the 43-page policy…
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Broken taxi meter mended: Thai good samaritan’s TikKok gesture goes viral
A kindhearted Thai woman shared a video on TikTok of the moment she helped a struggling taxi driver. She paid the driver an extra 2,350 baht to replace his broken meter. The video was posted on the TikTok account, @worldmj on Tuesday, September 12. The video caption read… “Travelling for several kilometres, but the meter does not count it. What…
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Nakhon Ratchasima villagers protest against monastery for ignoring ancient site encroachment order
Villagers from Luang Ta Kien and Ta Kien Thong, Huai Thalaeng district, Nakhon Ratchasima, staged a protest today against an unidentified monastery that has encroached on an ancient site. Despite an order by the Department of Fine Arts nearly a year ago to dismantle the structure, no action has been taken. The villagers, who have filed multiple cases against the…
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Undercover scandal: Child prostitution and curfew violations uncovered in northern province
The Department of Provincial Administration last night uncovered underage drinking, curfew violations and child prostitution at two entertainment venues in the northern province of Phayao. As a consequence of this discovery, five officers from Meuang Phayao Police Station have been transferred. Acting on a tip-off from the anti-trafficking Immanuel Foundation, authorities from the Department of Provincial Administration, Phayao Provincial Office…
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Internet sensations make waves in dramatic love triangle
A drama involving three Thai Internet celebrities blew up into a full-fledged love triangle melodrama over the weekend surrounding a couple, nicknamed Wave, his ex-partner P’Porn, and his new girlfriend. Following a tumultuous episode marked by accusations of infidelity, disputes over valuables, and car-related issues, Wave and Pee Lek, Wave’s new partner, issued apologies to P’Porn. This development came after…
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Criminal suspects nabbed by security forces in Southern Thailand
A group of criminal suspects wanted for multiple security-related offences, were apprehended by officials in Thailand. The incident occurred when the suspects, driving a blue Toyota car, attempted to evade a police checkpoint in Narathiwat province. Following a pursuit by law enforcement officers, the suspects were detained. It was later revealed that one of them, 28 years old Azman Paola,…
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Thai students rally to care for teacher’s child in heartwarming TikTok video
A heartwarming scene unfolded in a Thai school when a teacher’s young child was cared for by third-year students. The teacher, who had to bring her child to school due to her mother’s illness, was touched by the students’ collective effort. The event was captured on video by the teacher, known as @aungzalalala on TikTok, and quickly gained over a…
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Identity heist: Thai man’s plastic surgery ploy backfires, friend jailed in case of mistaken identity
A Thai man resorted to using his friend’s identity to commit a crime and then underwent plastic surgery in an attempt to evade capture. This wrongful act led to his friend being wrongfully imprisoned for 80 days in his place. The transformed criminal was eventually apprehended on Saturday, September 16. The incident unfolded on September 10 when the parents of…
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Flowing frustration: Mysterious water bill surge drowns Thai homeowner in questions
A baffling water bill totalling 2,428 baht has left 42 year old homeowner seeking answers from the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA). Despite living in a three-person household with modest water usage, homeowner Kalya Kanfeun usually pays less than 200 baht per month. A news team last night visited Kalya’s residence at 161, Moo 11, Klong Darn Subdistrict, Bang Bo District,…
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TasteAtlas stirs the pot: Pad kaprao sizzles to the top of global stir-fry rankings
Food guide platform TasteAtlas unveiled its list of the 50 best stir-fry dishes in the world, with Thai fast food favourite pad kaprao claiming the coveted top spot. The website added that Thai pad kaprao also stands as the fourth most frequently ordered dish by foreigners visiting Thailand. Pad kaprao scooped first place in the rankings with an impressive 4.8…
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Roadside accident: Truck splits in two after lamppost crash
A dramatic incident was recorded by a dashboard camera as a young driver lost control of his vehicle, causing it to crash into a lamppost by the roadside and split into two. The roadside accident occurred in the early hours of this morning and resulted in a head injury for the 24 year old driver. The incident happened as the…
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Trading doubts for trust: Thai Trade representative addresses past controversy
The newly designated Thai trade representative recently responded to lingering media scepticism regarding her background and qualifications. Nalinee Taveesin insisted that any past misunderstandings had been resolved. This was a reference to her blacklisting by the United States Department of the Treasury approximately ten years ago. This was due to her alleged business connections with the then-sanctioned regime of Zimbabwean president, Robert…
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Tragic twist: Slippery roads lead to double tragedy with feline fatality
A fatal road accident occurred in Nakhon Pathom in the early hours yesterday, when a car skidded off a slippery road and plunged into a canal. The driver, a 36 year old man named Tsai, and his 35 year old girlfriend Saowaphak, both drowned, while two other passengers sustained injuries. Also found deceased at the scene were two Persian cats…
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Debt moratorium to benefit 7 million farmers and SMEs
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat announced that no more than seven million farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will qualify for the initial phase of the debt moratorium. The breakdown of this figure is expected to be around four million small-scale farmers and three million SMEs. The Deputy Finance Minister refrained from providing specifics on the scope and limit…
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Chiang Rai’s new college to tackle Mekong region drug trafficking
The International Narcotics Control College (INCC), a newly founded institution in Chiang Rai, Thailand, is set to provide specialised training for law enforcement agents and associated organisations, with the mission of curbing drug trafficking in the Mekong subregion. Nestled within the compound of the Hall of Opium, Thailand’s opium museum, in Chiang Saen district, the INCC is the first of…
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Tablet talk: IT companies endorse education ministry’s digital vision, but call for a SMARTer plan
The plan of the Education Ministry to equip every student and teacher across the nation with a tablet has received support from several IT companies. They believe the tablet initiative is a step towards promoting equal educational opportunities. However, they recommend a well-thought-out strategy about device specifications, relevant courseware, and the necessary skills students should acquire. This tablet initiative is…
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Sexual activity aids kidney stone expulsion, suggests Thai doctor’s study
A noteworthy post was made yesterday on the Facebook page Sirianan Prasit by Doctor Sirianan Prasit. The post highlighted an intriguing revelation: Engaging in sexual activity can assist in the natural expulsion of kidney stones. Dr Sirianan shared insights from a conference he attended, where the intriguing research was presented. The study, which was conducted systematically and analysed meticulously, compared…
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Universal healthcare pilot scheme offers flexible hospital choice in Thailand
The Public Health Minister, Cholnan Srikaew, has announced the readiness of a new pilot scheme that will enable members of the universal healthcare (UC) programme to seek health services at any hospital. The initiative is aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery, providing UC members with the flexibility to seek eligible services at any hospital. It is expected that the scheme will…
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Srettha Thavisin to bolster Thai-Chinese tourism, bilateral ties in China visit
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is slated for a diplomatic visit to China from Oct 8-10 to negotiate on 10 pivotal issues, among which strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing Thai-Chinese tourism cooperation take precedence. The announcement came yesterday during his visit to Chiang Mai, where he also hinted at the renewal of the Thai-Chinese memorandum of understanding on the loaning of…
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Birth rate plunge triggers health minister’s urgent action plan
The national birth rate in Thailand is on a steep decline, prompting urgent action from the country’s Minister of Public Health Chonlanan Srikaew. He plans to push fertility to the forefront of the country’s national agenda, aiming for swift implementation within 100 days as part of the ministry’s “quick win” policies. Chonlanan revealed after Friday’s executive meeting that the current…
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Weighing passengers to become standard for Bangkok Airways
Your chance to weigh in on airport and flight practices in Thailand may be coming, quite literally. Bangkok Airways is looking to join a number of international airlines that will be weighing passengers before boarding. On September 16, it became clear that airlines were getting a bit nosy about passengers’ pounds. Foreign giants like Korean Air and Air New Zealand…
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Cannabis bill to be reviewed, focusing on medical use only
Cannabis will come under scrutiny as new Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew announced the formation of a committee to analyse a bill to regulate the plant. The primary objective, he insisted yesterday, is to ensure the use of cannabis remains strictly within the medical and health realm, prohibiting any recreational use. The cannabis and hemp bill, sponsored by the Bhumjaithai…
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Thailand and Laos in talks to link tourism routes and build second bridge
In a bid to boost tourism and enhance relations, Thailand and Laos initiated discussions to connect tourism routes and expedite the construction of a second Thai-Lao friendship bridge in the Pak Chom district of Loei. The talks took place yesterday between Tawee Sermpakdeekul, the governor of Loei, and Khamphan Sithidampha, the governor of Laos’ Vientiane province, during the 20th Thai-Lao…
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Thailand and China’s Guangxi discuss bolstering trade via ILSTC route
Trade discussions took place yesterday between Thailand and China‘s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, focusing on the potential use of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) to enhance trade cooperation. Guangxi Zhuang, a southern Chinese region adjacent to Vietnam, is the operational hub of the ILSTC, a trade and logistics channel. The route extends from Chongqing to the Beibu Gulf…
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Alcohol consumption bans at retirement parties win praise
Two key Thai ministries, the Interior and Education, have gained recognition for their commitment to stamping out alcohol consumption during retirement parties for their staff ending their service after this month. Introduced seven years ago, this policy was brought into effect following requests made by the StopDrink Network Office, the Office of the Basic Education Commission, the Thai Health Promotion…
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Four arrested in Thailand for child sex trafficking operation
Four individuals implicated in child sex trafficking have been apprehended in Bangkok and Samut Prakan, according to a police announcement today. The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) of the police force detained the two suspects. Criminal Court arrest warrants had been issued for the pair on September 6. The suspects, 40 year old Noppadol Chanthong and 51 year old Khachaporn…
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Fiscal budget deficits risks Thai economy, chief economist warns
Kiatnakin Phatra Securities’ chief economist issued a stark warning over the government’s increasing reliance on fiscal budget deficits, cautioning that such an approach could harm the economy over an extended period. Pipat Luengnaruemitchai openly criticised the government’s latest populist strategies, including a digital money initiative and reduced oil costs, stating that these measures could erode fiscal discipline. He further warned…
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