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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9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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POLL: Majority opposed to 4am venue curfew
A new poll shows that, despite vocal advocates and support amongst tourists, the majority of Thai people don’t believe that nightlife entertainment venues should be allowed to open until 4am. The poll found that 48.6% of people believe that 2am is a late enough time for bars and clubs to close. Only 40.6% of people believe that some or all…
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The Man Who Took Dinner to The Sky ft. Friso Poldervaart | Ep.18
Friso Poldervaart is a Dutch philanthropist and entrepreneur based in Bangkok. He is dedicated to helping others through his charitable endeavors, as well as running a successful business. He has a passion for making a difference in the world, and strives to use his resources to create tangible benefits for those in need. He is highly esteemed in his field…
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Thailand’s top 10 stories on social media for 2022
Social media in Thailand has had a busy year full of sensational scandals and news stories. What were the people of Thailand talking about most in 2022? Wisesight, an online analytics company used its Zocial Eye tools to analyse social media activity between January 1 and December 20 of this year in Thailand to see what got people buzzing online.…
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Thai holidays in 2023
Check your calendars! As we head into 2023, it’s handy to know about the upcoming Thai holidays for the year. Thailand has many holidays throughout 2023, though some are just general observances while others are public holidays where government offices (like immigration) and other businesses are closed. Here’s a quick snapshot of the major holidays next year. Thailand public holiday…
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37 deaths & 351 injuries reported on day 1 of Thailand’s road safety campaign
Day one of Thailand’s road safety campaign, Seven-day Dangerous (7 วัน อันตราย), does not appear to have made any difference as 37 deaths and 351 injuries were recorded. Speeding and drunk driving were the primary causes of most accidents. The road safety campaign to reduce the number of road accidents during the new year holiday began in earnest yesterday and…
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Pattaya bar security guard slaps Indian tourist in the face
A group of Indian tourists filed a complaint with Pattaya Police after a bar-restaurant security guard assaulted one of them and accused them of scamming the joint in the early hours of this morning. The Pattaya Tourist Police invited the Indian tourists to the Pattaya Police Station today, December 30, at 1am, to provide more details on the fracas. The…
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Wedding turned into a bloodbath after groomsman shoots his friend
A wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life but for one couple it will be memorable for another reason after a groomsman turned the ceremony into a bloodbath by shooting another groomsman after their girlfriends started fighting. The gunman and his girlfriend are now on the run in Trang, southern Thailand An officer from…
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Thai Airways rehab plan soars ahead of schedule
The embattled Thai flag carrier has sold at least eight aircraft and other non-core assets since October, as part of Thai Airways‘ rehab plan. Thai Airways International updated its ongoing bankruptcy rehabilitation to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). THAI, whose subsidiary – Thai Smile, made global headlines yesterday after a mid-air brawl captured on video went viral– said in…
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Experience luxury living in Laguna Phuket
Laguna Phuket is a stunning area located on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand. It is an ideal destination for property buyers looking for a luxurious, tropical lifestyle. The area is renowned for its stunning beaches and lush, tropical rainforest. With a range of amenities and activities, Laguna Phuket provides an idyllic setting for those looking to purchase a property,…
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Daughter jailed for 20 years after stealing 250 million baht from her mother
Where there is family there is love, so the slogan says, but this may not be the case for one Bangkok family after a daughter fleeced her sick mother of over 250 million baht. Yesterday, Phra Khanong Criminal Court sentenced Mawadee Sriwirat to 20 years in prison for falsifying documents to steal more than 250 million baht from her mother,…
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Rising winds, falling temperatures – the coolest new year in Thailand
A strong cold front from China is presently occupying both northern Thailand and the south. This means that the new year holiday temperatures in the north and northeast regions are expected to fall by 2 – 4 degrees Celsius, and by 1 – 3 degrees in the rest of the country. Temperatures in the south will remain as they are.…
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Police arrest boyfriend of murdered girlfriend dumped in a garbage bin
The man accused of murdering and dumping his girlfriend’s body in a garbage bin at the Khao Sok National Park at the border of Phang Nga and Surat Thani, surrendered to police yesterday. He allegedly admitted that jealousy drove him to lose his temper and commit murder. The murderer, Sukhon Kaewprapas, surrendered at Kapong Police Station in Phang Nga three…
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Aeroflot to launch direct flights from Bangkok to Irkutsk
Russian flag carrier Aeroflot is launching direct flights from Irkutsk in Russia to Bangkok, Thailand, starting January 18, 2023. A Boeing 737-800 will service the route which will run twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with a flight time of 6 hours and 25 minutes. Irkutsk, known as “Paris of Siberia,” is Russia’s 25th-largest city by population. It is the…
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110,000 traffic tickets issued to speeding drivers ahead of road safety campaign
The Highway Police Division revealed that 110,000 speeding tickets were issued ahead of Thailand’s seven-day road safety campaign. The Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Damronsak Kittiprapas, launched the road safety campaign named Seven-day Dangerous (7 วัน อันตราย) today, December 29. The campaign aims to reduce the number of road accidents during the traditional holiday season when many Thais will…
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A forgetful husband tests marriage after accidently abandoning his wife on a road trip after taking a quick leak
For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part, and in an emergency toilet break situation, every marriage is tested to some degree. And, an absent-minded husband truly tested the strength of his marriage on a road trip last week. He pulled over by the roadside to quickly take a leak before climbing back into…
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Thailand encourages coffee farming to meet growing demand in Asia
Palm and rubber farmers in Krabi are being encouraged to grow coffee, as demand rises faster in Asia than in other parts of the world. On a visit to a community coffee enterprise in Krabi’s Khlong Thom Nua, Deputy Commerce Minister Sinit Lertkrai said on Tuesday…. “Krabi’s coffee is gaining international attention thanks to its certification as a GI product.”…
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Thailand to offer free Covid-19 booster shots to foreign tourists
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports Ministry (MOTS) announced its plans to provide free Covid-19 booster shots for foreign tourists entering Thailand next year. The disclosure will be welcomed by many who fear another Covid wave after China announced it will open its borders and relax quarantine measures. The MOTS also briefed the press that the government will introduce the…
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Russians take Thailand by storm
Since September, Russian tourist arrivals in Thailand have increased sevenfold. A number of favourable factors make Thailand the perfect place to escape the icy grip of winter in Russia this year. Thailand, especially Pattaya and Phuket, has always been a popular holiday destination for Russians, with 1.48 million of them arriving in Thailand in 2019. Pre-pandemic, Russia was once Thailand’s…
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Police track down suspect in murder of woman dumped in garbage bin
Police believe the person responsible for the death of the woman dumped in a garbage bin in the Khao Sok National Park at the border of Phang Nga and Surat Thani is her boyfriend. Police reported they found evidence in the boyfriend’s home related to the murder of the woman, Suphattra Yodkaew, and is now on the run. Police identified…
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Bangkok Kempinski renames bar after US Hindu protest
THE Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok renamed its bar after US Hindus protested, calling it “highly inappropriate.” “Hanuman Bar” is now called “1897 Lounge.” A martini called the “Hanumantini” has also been renamed, the “1897tini.” Self-described “distinguished statesman” Rajan Zed, an “acclaimed” US Hindu activist according to his website, previously led many such self-aggrandising campaigns. In a statement Zed thanked Kempinski…
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Thai police rescue pregnant woman walking 600 kilometres from Isaan to Bangkok
With just 50 baht to her name, a pregnant woman attempted to walk from Ubon Ratchathani in northeast Thailand to Bangkok yesterday in search of a new start. She decided to undertake the arduous journey after she was betrayed by her Thai boyfriend of five years. Yesterday, officers from Warin Chamrap Police Station stopped to help a woman of Tai…
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American man dies after jumping from 3rd floor of Phuket Airport
An American man died yesterday after he reportedly jumped off the 3rd floor of the Phuket Airport passenger terminal. The 35 year old American, who was later identified as Jason, jumped from the 3rd floor smoking area of Phuket Airport at about 3pm yesterday. The airport rescue team and medical workers rushed to the scene to provide first aid and…
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Pattaya Police fine Norwegian tourist 5,000 baht for public lewdness
Police tracked down, arrested, and fined the foreign tourist who made headlines on Monday for fornicating with a Thai woman against a power pole on the mean streets of Pattaya in eastern Thailand. Yesterday, the Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station Pol Col Kulchat Kulchai detained a 49 year old Norwegian man under suspicion of public lewdness. The scandalous Scandinavian…
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German man’s yacht vanishes from Phuket, Thailand
A search is underway to locate ‘Marco Polo,’ a German man’s yacht, which mysteriously vanished from a pier in Phuket, southern Thailand, yesterday morning. At 11am, 58 year old Marco Käfer of German nationality found that his eponymous boat was missing from Phuket’s charming Nai Harn Beach in Rawai district. Concerned Käfer was informed by a witness that three people…
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Thailand should impose restrictions on Chinese tourists, says Pheu Thai MP
News that China is opening its borders to foreigners and relaxing Covid-19 restrictions was widely welcomed by Thailand yesterday as it looks to further boost its tourist economy. Today, MPs are warning that Thailand should tread lightly and impose restrictions on potential Covid-carrying Chinese tourists otherwise the kingdom could face another potential catastrophic pandemic. Former Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang,…
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Chinese tourists may bring growing pains to the Thai travel industry
While people in the tourism and entertainment sector are celebrating China’s announcement to reopen and allow outgoing travel, others have raised fears about the potential problems that could come with an influx of Chinese tourists. Some fear an overwhelming surge of Chinese tourists flooding Thailand’s hotspots. Others worry that the healthcare systems in Thailand could be overburdened by the influx…
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Anarchic passenger causes chaos on bus trip from Phuket to Bangkok
An anarchic passenger caused chaos for other travellers on a journey from Phuket to Bangkok today. The nuisance man annoyed his fellow passengers, illegally smoked, insulted staff members, and smashed a window with a fire extinguisher before leaping from the bus into busy oncoming traffic on Rama II Road in Bangkok. The driver of a Phuket-Bangkok coach bus, 51 year…
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Thai police arrest gang of Chinese visa overstayers in Bangkok
Thailand’s Immigration Police arrested a gang of Chinese visa overstayers in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok yesterday. On Monday, North Bangkok District Court issued a search warrant for a property in Soi Sermsuk to investigate a group of “suspicious aliens.” Officers from the Immigration Bureau searched the property yesterday and found that seven Chinese nationals were staying there. All seven…
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Thai woman hides 400 yaba pills in vagina to cover for drug-dealing husband
A Thai woman hid 402 pills of yaba (methamphetamine) inside her vagina in an attempt to cover for her drug-dealing husband during a raid at his house in Khon Kaen province in northeast Thailand on Monday. As the sun rose on Monday, officers from Ban Had Police Station raided the home of a suspected drug trafficker. Police were met by…
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Thai shooting champion accused of murder
A Thai shooting champion was arrested yesterday in connection with a murder case six years ago in the southern province of Surat Thani. The marksman denied all allegations, claiming that he is a professional and wouldn’t have missed the target like those already charged. A kratom seller hired three gunmen to murder another kratom seller, 54 year old Thawatchai Wichianchai,…
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