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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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UPDATE: CCTV footage of missing German tourist in Phuket
THE LATEST The German tourist who went missing from a hotel in Phuket’s Thalang district on May 9 was last seen on CCTV footage, walking on a road in Mai Khao-subdistrict (far north on the west coast). The footage is reportedly from a hotel nearby. It has not yet been reported what date the footage is from, or which road…
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Remember Thailand’s alcohol sales ban tomorrow!
As is custom for several of Thailand’s religious holidays, alcohol sales will be prohibited across the country tomorrow (Sunday) for Visakha Bucha Day. The day, the most significant in the Buddhist calendar, commemorates 3 defining events in the life of the Lord Buddha. These include his birth, attaining enlightenment at 35 years old, and then his death 45 years later,…
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Tourists pack Pattaya’s Koh Larn, hotels 100% occupied
Hotels on Koh Larn, and island off Pattaya, are 100% occupied today, according to a hotel operator there. The operator says that tourists who couldn’t find rooms had to return to the mainland after enjoying their day of fun. Thousands of tourists are crowding the island, marking the first night of the 4 day long weekend (public service holiday today…
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Islands in Krabi to temporarily close for restoration
Following last week’s announcement that Krabi’s Maya Bay will close from August to September, other national park tourist attractions in the province also plan to temporarily close for restoration. The Mu Ko Lanta National Park has announced in a legal notice that several islands under its control will close from May 16 to October 14. The islands to close are…
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Carnival in Pattaya coming up next week
A recreation centre called Wonder Space Pattaya is hosting a an event dubbed ‘The Carnival’ next week on Saturday, May 21. The carnival will feature a concert by Thai singer Singto Numchok, and of course, food and drinks. There will be a play zone for children, a circus parade, dog shows, and games. The event will start at 3pm, and…
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Government hospitals in Thailand allowed to prescribe cannabis oil for free
Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health announced that 3 types of cannabis oil have been added to Thailand’s National List of Essential Medicines, or NLEM. Now that cannabis is listed as an “essential medicine”, government hospitals may freely prescribe cannabis extract oil to patients in selected circumstances, according to Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, or the GPO. The first type of…
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Birds seized by police during drug raids auctioned off
Yesterday, birds seized by police during drug busts were auctioned off at an event held at Rajamangala University of Technology’s campus in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The stars of the show were 6 South American blue-and-yellow macaws which sold for over 500,000 baht collectively. The event marked the first ever official bird auction in Thailand. A total of…
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More than 600 endangered or prohibited animals seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Wildlife officials and the Thai Customs Department have seized more than 600 endangered or prohibited animals at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The animals were delivered from a middle east country via Egypt Air. The information about the sender hasn’t been reported at this stage of the investigation. Yesterday, the Manager of the Wildlife Checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Yossathon Kongngen, told…
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Friday Covid Update: 7,779 new cases; provincial totals
56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,367 with 7,669 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,779 new Covid-19 cases and 9,286 recoveries. There are now 75,864 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Thailand’s public health officials proposing ‘Endemic Sandboxes’ to legally reopen nightlife
Thailand is getting closer and closer to the endemic phase of its Covid response. Achingly slow but now with at least a proposal to be tabled at the next CCSA meeting. The Ministry of Public Health will propose ‘Endemic Sandboxes’ as a plan to allow entertainment venues to legally reopen in 3 tourist islands including Phuket, Koh Chang, and Koh…
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Pattaya police announce ‘specialised’ patrol after several gold theft incidents
In the wake of a string of gold theft incidents in Pattaya in the past month, a Pattaya police chief has announced that a ‘specialised’ police patrol force will be formed to monitor any inappropriate incidents in tourist areas, or crimes against tourists. This news comes after four separate occasions in Pattaya where Indian tourists reported thieves snatching their expensive…
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First day of Thailand’s rainy season: heavy rain warning for 36 provinces
Today, May 13, marks the first day of Thailand’s rainy season. A low pressure cell from upper Vietnam is expected to cause heavy rain and potential flash flooding in 36 provinces in the kingdom. The Meteorological Department advises people to be aware of the dangers caused by heavy rainfall. Sailors, especially on the Andaman Coast, should expect tall waves and…
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Suspects allegedly drug and rob Kuwaiti tourist in Bangkok
Two suspects allegedly drugged a Kuwaiti tourist before stealing about 200,000 baht from him, around US$5,700, in Bangkok in March, although they were only arrested yesterday. The victim said the suspects took him to a hotel on Bangkok’s famous Sukhumvit road to have sex. He said he was then drugged, and became unconscious. When he woke up, he saw that…
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UPDATE: New details emerge on missing German tourist in Phuket
THE LATEST Phuket police are still on the lookout for the German tourist who reportedly went missing from a hotel in Thalang district on Monday (May 9). The 76 year old woman was originally only identified as Ms. Barbara, however the Thalang district police chief has now told The Phuket Express that her full name is Barbara Elisabeth Monika Glag…
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What you need to know about Thai spirit homes
When travelling around Thailand, it’s impossible not to notice the spirit houses. Sort of like mini Thai temples. They can be found everywhere at every company, hotel, shopping mall, and even some people’s homes. It’s been part of Thai culture for centuries. You often see them with either food and drinks, or flowers and fruits made as offerings to the ‘spirits’.…
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Democrat candidate in Bangkok election promises to tackle flooding if elected
A candidate in Bangkok’s upcoming governor election is saying he will tackle the city’s flooding problem if he is elected. The candidate, Suchatvee Suwansawat, from Thailand’s Democrat Party, said at a campaign event yesterday that electric water pumps must be set up across Bangkok, because dredging and flood control reservoirs are not enough. Bangkok has had a chronic problem with…
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Phuket’s THB4.5 Billion Andamanda Project Set to Open
Thailand’s newest integrated resort, the Andamanda Phuket will soft open next week on 21st May 2022. Styled as a leisure and entertainment offering, a water park debut will be the first phase of a larger development by Thailand’s Proud Group with a total investment of THB4.5 billion (USD134 million). Andamanda will bring a world-class attraction to the resort island featuring…
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Thursday Covid Update: 8,019 new cases; provincial totals
59 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,311 with 7,613 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 8,019 new Covid-19 cases and 8,807 recoveries. There are now 77,427 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today,…
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Prawit is confident Thailand will rise to Tier 2 in US human trafficking report
Thailand has done a lot to combat human trafficking and deserves to move up to Tier 2 in the US State Department’s next Trafficking In Persons report, says Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. Prawit addressed Thailand’s progress in tackling human trafficking in a press conference yesterday. In the latest annual TIP report, published in June 2021, the US demoted Thailand…
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Travellers will still have to wear face masks post-endemic phase in Thailand
As the number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand continues to decrease, the National Communicable Diseases Committee has started talking about post-pandemic measures or lingering preventative measure when the coronavirus is declared endemic in Thailand, including any requirement for travellers to wear face masks, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Speaking to Thai media yesterday, he claimed that, with public collaboration…
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UPDATE: Excavation banned on hill in Phuket, further investigation
THE LATEST After Thai media reported construction tools and trucks digging soil on a hill in Kamala, a town in Phuket, officials have banned any further excavation on the site. Kathu District Chief Siwat Rawangkul confirmed the ban when he and other officials revisited the site on Tuesday. He said that no government office has issued a building permit for…
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Man who released cobras at Bangkok intersection slaps political activist in the face
A man who made headlines two months ago for releasing cobras and cutting his wrists at a busy intersection in Bangkok has gained more attention for slapping a political activist in the face at a protest in Bangkok. ‘K Hundred Million’, a real estate businessman, said he slapped the woman because she insulted Thailand’s royal family. The incident happened on…
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Fortune telling tarantula predicts lottery numbers in central Thailand
A man from Ang Thong province in central Thailand believes that a tarantula in the forest can predict the future. So far, the tarantula has made two lottery predictions. The man reportedly waits day and night for the furry fortune teller to come out of its hole to see what it might predict next. When the man wants “Phaya Bung”…
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German tourist missing in Phuket
After a German tourist in Phuket was rescued after getting stuck between rocks last week, another German tourist in the island province is also in a tricky situation. The 76 year old woman, who so far has only been identified as Ms. Barbara, reportedly went missing from a hotel in Thalang district on Monday (May 9). This is reportedly the…
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UPDATE: Thai woman spends 300k baht on wedding but groom doesn’t turn up
UPDATE: Today, Namthip got stood up by her no-show groom Ek for a second time. Namthip and her lawyer went to Nadi Police Station in Prachinburi this morning to try and get some money back from Ek after he didn’t turn up to his wedding, leaving Namthip’s family to foot the 300,000 baht bill for the wedding arrangements. Lt. Cl.…
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‘Yellow shirt’ leaders facing possible prison sentence
The Thai Appeals Court has upheld a previous court decision over the involvement of 5 key Thai politicians and activists in violent 2008 demonstrations. A Thai TV news presenter and 3 former leaders of the disbanded People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), widely known as the “Yellow Shirts”, face a year in jail without suspension over their involvement in the 2008…
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Thai kindergarten forces students to wear military uniform, sparks outrage
A Thai kindergarten has been slammed online for forcing students to wear 4 different uniforms, including a “military uniform” on Thursdays. The public school in the western province of Kanchanaburi informed parents they must purchase the new uniforms before the new term begins on May 17. The preschool wants children aged 4 – 6 to wear 4 different uniforms: ‘normal’…
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New wages for Thailand’s skilled workers
Thailand’s cabinet has approved new wages for construction workers, industrial arts workers and service workers. The new wages are expected to come into effect 90 days after the announcement was made on Tuesday. In the construction industry, tilers considered ‘level 1’ will earn 465 baht per day. Those considered level 2 will earn 550 baht a day. Level 3 tilers…
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On May 14 and 29, children can get Pfizer vaccines at Phuket airport
Phuket International Airport will have walk-in Pfizer vaccinations for children 5-11 years old on May 14 and 29. Parents can bring their children to get vaccinated at Terminal X (south of the international terminal) from 9am to noon on both dates. The Phuket Provincial Health Office’s Facebook post about the vaccinations includes a graphic that only mentions “shots 1, 2”…
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Some Thailand Post services to China suspended due to Covid-19 restrictions
Thailand Post says it’s had to suspend some postal services to China, as a result of the country’s strict Covid-19 measures. The service cites airline restrictions and strict lockdowns in China as the reason for the suspension. For the time being, according to a Nation Thailand report, no letters or parcels can be sent to China via EMS World or…
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