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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Restrictions eased in yellow zones
The government has confirmed that some Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed in “yellow zone” provinces, although provincial governors are still free to introduce their own, stricter measures if necessary. Schools and educational facilities can re-open fully and shopping malls and department stores can return to normal hours. Convenience stores and supermarkets can also revert to normal operating hours. Restaurants can…
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It’s happening: Phuket sandbox approved by Cabinet
It’s been talked about until the buffalo came home – and then some. It was on, it was off, it was delayed, then it wasn’t. Finally, it’s been confirmed. After being closed to foreign tourists for over a year, the southern island of Phuket is set to re-open on July 1. Yesterday, the sandbox scheme, which will see the island…
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CCSA: Bars to stay closed for now, drunk customers risk the spread of Covid-19
It might be a while until bars and nightclubs reopen in Thailand. In today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration daily briefing, fingers pointed at customers who are far less likely to follow disease control practices when they are under the influence of alcohol. The latest and most severe wave of Covid-19, infecting more than 190,000 people since April 1, started…
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Chiang Mai eases restrictions, alcohol now allowed at restaurants
Alcohol is now allowed to be served in Chiang Mai restaurants. Provincial officials loosened disease control restrictions today, including lifting the alcohol ban at eateries, although bars and other nightlife venues must still remain closed. Restrictions eased nationwide this week and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration revised its colour-code zoning based on the Covid-19 situation in each province. Local…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 4,059 new cases; provincial totals
Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration logged 4,059 new cases today in 59 of the country’s 77 provinces. The active case count is now at 35,836, a slight increase as new cases reported are twice as many as the number of new recoveries. Over the past few weeks, the number of active cases has been on a downward trend after…
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Power outages coming to Kathu
Electricity will be temporarily cut in parts of Kathu, Phuket tomorrow, announced the Provincial Electricity Authority. Further work is being done to install high voltage cables. The power will only be shut off from 9 am to 4:30 pm in the Kathua area on the Wichit Songkram Road, and between the Kathu Wittaya School to the intersection with the Kathu-Koh…
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Samut Sakhon governor calls for more vaccine doses after order was cut
The pandemic has been rough on the governor of Samut Sakhon, a coastal province just southwest of Bangkok. Along with high numbers of Covid-19 cases and cluster outbreaks during the second and third waves of the virus, Governor Veerasak Vichitsangsri contracted Covid-19 in December and developed a severe lung infection. He spent 42 days on a ventilator. Now, as the…
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Fruit buyer arrested for allegedly using counterfeit certificates to export durian
The proprietor of a fruit company in Chanthaburi, an eastern Thai province, has been arrested for allegedly using counterfeit Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices certificates to export Vietnamese Durians to China, passing them off as Thai Durians. Alongkorn Polabutr adviser to the agriculture and cooperatives minister, says they investigated the fruit-buying company named ‘lung Tu Odd, which is…
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Mobile sterilisation/vaccination truck helps Pattaya’s cats and dogs
Yesterday, a mobile sterilisation/vaccination truck was used in Pattaya to treat cats and dogs. The program was held at the Krating Lai Temple and was led by Pattaya City Deputy Mayor Manot Nongyai. Manot says the project started 2 years ago with the goal of cutting down the number of stray cats and dog in Pattaya. “This service is free…
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Ministry of Defence orders another Airbus C295 for the Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army is adding another defence aircraft to its fleet. An order for an additional Airbus C295 airlifter for an undisclosed amount was recently made by Thailand’s Ministry of Defence. It will be be the country’s third C295 in its defence fleet. The tactical transport aircraft will be delivered to Thailand in 2023. The aircraft can be used…
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Crocodiles escape from farm in Trat
Yesterday, dozens of crocodiles managed to escape from their enclosures in a crocodile farm. Due to heavy rains, the crocodiles were able to swim through a flooded “ditch area” that was conveniently located near the farm. The flash flood and subsequent crocodile escape happened in the eastern province of Trat, which is next to the Cambodian border. The farm owner, Pirom Kannak…
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Bangkok police prepare for pro-democracy rallies on Thursday
The deputy commissioner of Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau says the force is ready to handle pro-democracy rallies planned for Thursday. Piya Tawichai says 4 groups are expected to stage rallies to commemorate a revolution carried out by Khana Ratsadon (The People’s Party) on June 24, 1932. The authorities are expecting rallies from 4 pro-democracy groups commemorating the 89th anniversary of…
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TAT thinking up ways quarantine might be relaxed for tourists returning from Thailand
The ever-inventive Tourism Authority of Thailand is looking at ways quarantine might be eased for tourists visiting Thailand, both on arrival here and on their return home. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says “city bubbles” and activity-based travel arrangements in sandbox destinations could be the way forward. The arrangement would be between low-risk cities and would mean tourists could visit destinations…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 4,059 new cases and 35 deaths
4,059 new Covid-19 cases and 35 coronavirus-related deaths were reported this morning by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the recent and most severe wave of the coronavirus in Thailand, the CCSA has recorded 196,502 infections since April 1, making up the vast majority of Thailand’s total count since the start of the pandemic last year. The new wave…
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Third vaccine shot may be necessary to combat Delta variant
The head of the Department of Disease Control says a third vaccine dose may be needed to protect against more infectious Covid-19 variants. Opas Karnkawinpong says officials are studying if it is safe to vaccinate people with different brands following the first dose, but says it’s too soon to say. “Knowledge (about the virus and the vaccines is updated) constantly…
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AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to be donated to Thailand from Japan
As Thailand’s vaccine supply runs short due to production delays, the Japanese government has offered to donate doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, according to Thailand’s health minister Anutin Charnvirakul. An agreement is set to be signed this week and vaccine doses would be delivered next month. Anutin only gave a brief statement and did not say how many doses…
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Pattaya residents complain of sinkholes in road, couple sustains injuries
I sustained a minor injury while my boyfriend suffered serious injuries. People in the Pattaya area are reporting that they have suffered injuries from sinkholes in the road. Others are complaining about the faulty infrastructure on social media. The sinkholes are due to recent heavy flooding in the area. Also, work done by a public works company, allege locals. 26…
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Army raids a house, arrests 53 as part of alleged gambling operation
This morning, the Thai army raided a house in the northern province of Mae Hong Son. As part of the raid, they arrested 40 Chinese nationals, 12 Burmese, and 1 Filipino that were allegedly running an online gambling operation. The house was in a resort located in the Mok Cham Pae of the Muang district that borders Myanmar. Thai media…
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Monday Covid Update: 3,175 new cases; infections rise in the Deep South
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 3,175 new Covid-19 cases today. Thailand now has 33,859 active cases, a slight increase since the count recorded yesterday after a downward trend over the past few weeks. 29 coronavirus-related fatalities were reported today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 1,658. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA…
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Bangkok police are “ready” for Thursday’s protests
Police in Bangkok are readying themselves for rallies that are planned for Thursday, which makes the 89th anniversary of the June 24, 1932 revolution by the Khana Ratsadon. The revolution made Thailand go from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one. The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s commissioner, Piya Tawichai said today that he anticipates 4 groups to demonstrate in 3 days.…
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Covid cluster spreads from Yala to other southern provinces
A Covid cluster in Thailand’s southern province Yala has widened to 190 infections in multiple provinces, says the Disease Control Department. The cluster started at a madrasa, an Islamic boarding school. The majority of the infections (69) were discovered in Yala. Some of the infections by province are as follows: Satun: 37 Songkhla: 17 Pattani: 14 Krabi:14 Narathiwat: 13 Surat…
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Proposed start date now July 15 for “Samui Plus” reopening
The proposed reopening date for the “Samui Plus” travel scheme is now July 15. Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, islands in the Gulf of Thailand off the Surat Thani coast, are planned to reopen to travellers from overseas who are vaccinated against Covid-19. Initially called the “Samui Sealed Route,” the proposed travel scheme will allow those who are…
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Ministry of Interior backtracks on decision to prioritise ThaiBev for vaccine allocation
Last Thursday, an urgent message was sent to all provincial governors telling them to allocate “spare vaccines” to ThaiBev employees and family. Now, the Ministry of Interior is backtracking on said orders after the decision proved controversial. ThaiBev is one of Southeast Asia’s biggest “beverage” companies and one of its most popular products is Chang beer. The company had asked…
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Hotel association survey shows average occupancy at around 6%
A survey carried out by the Thai Hotels Association shows that average occupancy for June is not expected to increase from the 6% seen in May. In a further blow to the hotel industry, TTR Weekly reports that occupancy in alternative state quarantine facilities is predicted to fall to 10%, down from 13% last month. THA president, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi,…
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Wild elephant breaks into home and raids kitchen in Hua Hin – VIDEO
A wild elephant busted into a home in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district yesterday, breaking through the wall and poking its head into the home’s kitchen. The elephant’s trunk reached into a shelf, knocking over kitchen supplies and grabbing what appeared to be a bag, then stuffing it into its mouth. The homeowner posted photos and a video on…
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Monday Covid Update: 3,175 new cases and 29 deaths
3,175 new Covid-19 cases and 29 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the recent and most severe wave of infections, the CCSA has recorded a total of 192,443 Covid-19 cases including more than 30,000 at Thailand’s overcrowded prisons. Out of the new cases reported by the CCSA today, 140 infections were…
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KLM to increase flights to Middle-East, Asia as border restrictions ease
The Dutch carrier KLM plans to increase its flights to Asian and Middle-Eastern destinations as countries plan for a re-opening of their borders. According to TTR Weekly, the airline’s summer network is almost the same as in 2019, but with a reduction in the number of flights on offer as a result of the pandemic. The airline plans to introduce…
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Restaurant operators repeat calls for financial aid
Thailand’s restaurant owners are pleading for state relief as they struggle to stay afloat amid tight Covid-19 prevention measures. Taniwan Koonmongkon from the Thai Restaurant Association says the PM’s aim of re-opening the country fully by October provides some hope but for now, restaurants are struggling. “Restaurant operators feel hopeful after the premier on Wednesday set a goal of fully…
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Technician electrocuted to death while trying to fix jacuzzi
On Saturday, a man was electrocuted while repairing a jacuzzi. The shocking incident happened in the Cherng Talay area of Phuket. Police and rescue workers were called around 6:50 pm last night to find 45 year old Surapol Samthong’s body next to the jacuzzi. Rescue workers were able to safely remove Suapol’s body from the scene. His body was then…
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Mother alleges that Doctor mistakenly gave her 10 year old sleeping pills
Allegedly, a doctor mistakenly gave a 10 year old boy 8 sleeping pills that were meant for a different patient. The misadventure happened somewhere in the northern Thai province of Buriram. Supat, the boy’s 35 year old mother shared the story on Facebook. She says after he took the pills, her son slept for a “very long time”. The doctor…
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