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...

  • Covid travel restrictions return tomorrow | Thaiger

    Covid travel restrictions return tomorrow

    It’s probably just a coincidence, but just as China is easing their travel blocks and allowing its citizens to travel abroad, Covid-19 travel restrictions are officially back. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has recently announced a set of rules that will apply to all non-Thai arrivals between January 9 and 31. These rules come as the country anticipates…

  • Indian travel slowing due to new restrictions | Thaiger

    Indian travel slowing due to new restrictions

    The massive Indian demographic for Thai tourism has been slowing due to new Covid-19 travel restrictions the Indian government has implemented. Travellers returning from Thailand are now required to take an RT-PCR test, an expensive inconvenience that is discouraging many from travelling. The so-called meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) segment and independent travellers have been particularly put off by…

  • Parks officials speak to DNP bribery inquiry | Thaiger

    Parks officials speak to DNP bribery inquiry

    Seventeen officials from the Department of National Parks (DNP) made statements to police yesterday in connection with the DNP bribery inquiry into former department chief Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya. Rutchada was arrested at his office in Chatuchak district on December 27 on suspicion of demanding or taking bribes from subordinates and malfeasance. His arrest came when Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn, former head…

  • Next Level Adventures ft. Paddy Doyle | Thaiger Podcast Ep.19 | Thaiger

    Next Level Adventures ft. Paddy Doyle | Thaiger Podcast Ep.19

    Youtuber, Traveller and dreamer. He quit his job as a primary school teacher, sold his belongings and hopped on his 94 Honda Dream motor bike to visit all 77 provinces of Thailand, to follow his passion for creating videos, travelling and living the Thailand dream. Paddy Doyle is an extreme example of what a hard-working man can achieve. He has…

  • Blood alcohol content limit for drivers in Thailand should be set at 0% | Thaiger

    Blood alcohol content limit for drivers in Thailand should be set at 0%

    The Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS) urged relevant departments to consider setting the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for drivers in Thailand at 0%, instead of 0.05%, because drivers with 0.05% of BAC in their system still cause fatal road accidents. The legal BAC is set at 0.05% in Thailand. This means that motorists in the country can drive if…

  • Young Welshman seriously injured in motorbike accident in Koh Samui, Thailand | Thaiger

    Young Welshman seriously injured in motorbike accident in Koh Samui, Thailand

    A 28 year old Welshman remains in a government hospital in Koh Samui, southern Thailand, after a motorbike collision on Boxing Day. Adam Davies, from Dinas Cross in Pembrokeshire, sustained multiple injuries including a fractured skull in three places, bleeding in the brain, a punctured lung, five broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, broken shoulder blade, fractured ankle, and other minor…

  • Man stabs 14 year old girl to death upon release from prison in northeast Thailand | Thaiger

    Man stabs 14 year old girl to death upon release from prison in northeast Thailand

    A man released from prison three days ago stabbed a 14 year old girl to death as she got off the school bus in Roi Et province in northeast Thailand this morning. The assailant, 36 year old Preecha Wichaisorn, followed the school bus on a motorbike until it reached Ban Lao Wittayakhan School at 8am. As the students were getting…

  • Pregnant gambler gives birth while under arrest at a police station | Thaiger

    Pregnant gambler gives birth while under arrest at a police station

    A gambler in the eighth month of her pregnancy gave birth to a baby yesterday while she was under arrest at a police station in the central province of Prachin Buri. Both mother and son were safe and well. Officers of Baan Sang Police Station were notified of an illegal gambling den in the Bang Kra Bor sub-district, Baan Sang…

  • Woman hit with 6.5 million baht parking fee in Thailand | Thaiger

    Woman hit with 6.5 million baht parking fee in Thailand

    A Thai woman was hit with a 6.5 million baht ($US190,870) parking fee after leaving her car for just two hours at a shopping mall car park in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok, in central Thailand. CH3‘s programme “Nai Krasae” (“Trending”) reported yesterday that an unidentified woman parked her car at a “well-known shopping mall.” The name of the shopping…

  • Etihad Airways doubles flights to Bangkok | Thaiger

    Etihad Airways doubles flights to Bangkok

    Etihad Airways is doubling its flights from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok this year. The United Arab Emirates flag carrier will fly twice a day, making 14 nonstop flights between Abu Dhabi International Airport, and Suvarnabhumi Airport, starting Sunday, March 26. Business and Economy Class cabins will be available to passengers. Etihad Airways Chief Revenue Officer Arik De said he is delighted…

  • Locals panic after Bengal tiger footprints spotted in community | Thaiger

    Locals panic after Bengal tiger footprints spotted in community

    Locals in the Chong Sadao sub-district in the central province of Kanchanaburi sought help from the authorities after mysterious footprints of a tiger were spotted in the community. Chong Sadao sub-district chief Wasan Soonjirat reported to the media that he was notified about the tiger footprints at 8.30am yesterday, January 5. The footprints were discovered near the community and forest…

  • Thailand’s long-distance trains to relocate to new Bangkok rail hub from January 19 | Thaiger

    Thailand’s long-distance trains to relocate to new Bangkok rail hub from January 19

    The State Railway of Thailand is relocating 52 train services from Hua Lampong Station to Bangkok‘s new central rail hub – Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (formerly Bang Sue Junction) – from January 19. Passengers catching long-distance, rapid and express train services will depart from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district from this date onward. Inbound trains…

  • Pravin Kumar appointed as general manager of Hyatt Regency Koh Samui | Thaiger

    Pravin Kumar appointed as general manager of Hyatt Regency Koh Samui

    Press Release KOH SAMUI (DECEMBER 22, 2022) – Hyatt Regency Koh Samui, the island’s best luxury beachfront resort in the vibrant area of North Chaweng, is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced general manager Pravin Kumar. With over 20 years of hospitality experience, Mr Kumar brings to Hyatt Regency Koh Samui a wealth of industry knowledge in the luxury…

  • Thailand’s official year-end population lower than in 2021, females outnumber males again | Thaiger

    Thailand’s official year-end population lower than in 2021, females outnumber males again

    Thailand’s official year-end population has been recorded at 66,090,475 as of December 31, 2022, with females outnumbering males again. According to Thai PBS World, the latest census data was provided by the Central Domicile Registration Office. The population consists of 65,106,481 Thai nationals with 983,994 waiting to receive Thai citizenship. Of the recorded number of Thai nationals, 31,755,032 are males…

  • Pattaya Beach is second most popular beach in the world | Thaiger

    Pattaya Beach is second most popular beach in the world

    Pattaya Beach was named the second most popular beach in the world on TikTok. The most popular beach prize goes to Bondi Beach in Australia. The UK luxury holiday company, Destination2, created a list of the most popular beaches across the world on TikTok. The company conducted the research on TikTok by creating a specific hashtag for the dream beaches…

  • VIDEO: Angry farang chases Thai-French woman who rejected him in Pattaya | Thaiger

    VIDEO: Angry farang chases Thai-French woman who rejected him in Pattaya

    An angry farang (Westerner) of unknown nationality chased a half-Thai half-French woman around the pool at a Pattaya hotel in eastern Thailand when she rejected his advances on Monday. Twitch streamer ‘Justketh’ was live-streaming at the hotel’s pool where only she and the older man were present. Keth told The Thaiger… “He had been sitting in the pool and drinking…

  • Drug addict father arrested for killing his 3 year old daughter | Thaiger

    Drug addict father arrested for killing his 3 year old daughter

    A drug addict father was arrested yesterday at a petrol station in Chon Buri after he allegedly murdered his 3 year old daughter in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. The junky denied the charge and blamed a ghost for the murder. Officers from Lat Yao Police Station were notified of the child’s death, later identified as Nareenan Pananon, at…

  • 15 year old stabs teen to death at Thai market | Thaiger

    15 year old stabs teen to death at Thai market

    A 15 year old boy stabbed a 16 year old boy to death at Owl Night Market in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok in central Thailand, on Tuesday. The teenagers apparently did not know each other. The deceased’s 15 year old friend Tee (pseudonym) told police that he was at the market with his friends when another group of…

  • Whale shark visits Thailand’s Koh Chang in rare sighting | Thaiger

    Whale shark visits Thailand’s Koh Chang in rare sighting

    A stunning four-metre-long whale shark visited a group of tourists on a snorkelling trip in the waters of Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand yesterday in an extremely rare sighting. Danai Unglo, the owner of Mister Khai Tour Company, said he was leading a group of 15 tourists to go snorkelling at Koh Klum island in Trat province’s Koh Chang…

  • Chiang Mai issues booster shots to get ready for Chinese tourists | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai issues booster shots to get ready for Chinese tourists

    Chiang Mai is preparing to welcome Chinese tourists by giving booster shots to its workers in the tourism industry. The province intends to issue 3,000 doses per day from January 23 to 29. Other residents in the province are also being encouraged to get booster doses. The Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai, Worravit Chaisawat, was chair of the meeting at…

  • Thailand ranks 9th in 10 Cheapest Places to Live list by Forbes | Thaiger

    Thailand ranks 9th in 10 Cheapest Places to Live list by Forbes

    Thailand and Italy secured joint 9th place in Forbes magazine’s list “Quit Your Job and Move Abroad: 10 Cheapest Places to Live” list published on Monday. Forbes compiled a list of desirable locations to live aimed not only at retirees but anyone who wants to quit their job, pack up shop and start a new life for an affordable price……

  • VIDEO: Indian restaurant owner attacked for ‘stealing customers’ in Thailand | Thaiger

    VIDEO: Indian restaurant owner attacked for ‘stealing customers’ in Thailand

    A Thai-born Indian man was attacked on Saturday after opening an Indian restaurant in close proximity to another Indian restaurant in Krabi province in southern Thailand. The victim, Wirent Tiwari, was welcoming customers into his restaurant when he was suddenly attacked by an Indian man. The attacker screamed “I’ll kill you! Then bury you in the ground!” as he slapped,…

  • Thailand’s public health minister says Chinese tourists won’t be discriminated against | Thaiger

    Thailand’s public health minister says Chinese tourists won’t be discriminated against

    Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, says the country’s plans to re-introduce Covid-19 related measures won’t discriminate against Chinese travellers. He then went on to say that the measures won’t discriminate against any particular country. But, the government is expected to finalise measures that would apply to visitors arriving from Covid-plagued countries, which include China. “Relevant officials agree to give…

  • Couple injured after their motorcycle collides with sedan | Thaiger

    Couple injured after their motorcycle collides with sedan

    A foreigner and his Thai wife were seriously injured after a white sedan crashed into their motorcycle last night when they made a U-turn at Samerng Intersection in Chiang Mai province. A witness reported the collision to the Hang Dong Police Station at 7pm yesterday, January 4. The accident happened in front of a convenience store at the Samerng Intersection on…

  • VIDEO: The WHO accuses China of massaging Covid data | Thaiger

    VIDEO: The WHO accuses China of massaging Covid data

    The World Health Organization (WHO) accused China of not being transparent about the true impact of the coronavirus outbreak in the Chinese mainland or about its death toll. The WHO believes Beijing is massaging data since it removed its strict restrictions and mass-testing last month. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergencies director, said… “We believe that the current numbers being published…

  • Man arrested for forcing woman to perform oral sex in mini bus | Thaiger

    Man arrested for forcing woman to perform oral sex in mini bus

    Police arrested a man who forced a woman to perform oral sex on him in a mini bus in the central province of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. The driver of a mini bus immediately filed a complaint with the police after the female victim notified him about the sexual assault when she got out of the vehicle at her destination.…

  • Chinese tourist surge may be small, trains may help | Thaiger

    Chinese tourist surge may be small, trains may help

    After a flurry of excitement over the return of Chinese tourists, perhaps tempered a bit by Covid-19 worries amidst a huge outbreak there, industry experts are predicting a smaller surge this Chinese New Year. The Association of Thai Travel Agents says that many large tour groups popular in China have not confirmed trips until the country makes an official announcement…

  • National Park officials condemned for allowing sailboat to destroy Krabi reef | Thaiger

    National Park officials condemned for allowing sailboat to destroy Krabi reef

    Thai netizens condemned National Park officials for failing to do their job after seeing images of a tourist sailboat destroying a coral reef in the southern province of Krabi. Yesterday, January 3, the environmental activist Facebook page Monsoon Garbage Thailand posted photos of a white sailboat docking over the coral reef near Yawasam Island. The page explained that the island…

  • Thais can apply for a digital ID next week | Thaiger

    Thais can apply for a digital ID next week

    Thai nationals using public services provided by government agencies will be able to apply for a digital ID card next Tuesday, January 10. Deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul announced the digital ID will apply to agencies under the Internal Affairs Ministry first and then expanded to other government and private agencies, such as commercial banks. The policy will primarily focus…

  • Tourists pump 6 billion baht into Phuket’s economy during new year | Thaiger

    Tourists pump 6 billion baht into Phuket’s economy during new year

    Tourists pumped over 6 billion baht into the economy of Phuket in southern Thailand over the four-day new year holiday, according to the Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Nantasiri Ronasiri. Today, TAT director Nantasiri revealed that between December 30 to January 2, accommodation in Phuket was booked up at 77% of capacity. During these four days and…