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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Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Officers seize monitor lizards, monkeys from farm suspected of exporting to restaurants
A farm owner was arrested for allegedly raising and exporting water monitor lizards and macaque monkeys in the northern province of Phichit. Officers say they suspect the farm was exporting the animals to Cambodia, and then to Vietnam and China to be sold to restaurants, according to the commander of the National Resources and Environmental Crime Division. When officials arrived…
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Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital performs knee joint surgery using robotic-arm technology
Robotic surgeries have been around for a while, but at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, doctors announced that for the first time, they replaced an entire knee joint on an elderly patient using the Stryker’s Mako robotic arm. The robotic-arm assisted surgery was developed for knee replacements. It does a CT scan of the patient, creating a 3D image and helping surgeons…
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Anutin says no to easing restrictions, praises Thailand’s handling of pandemic
Thailand’s Health Minister has ruled out any further easing of Covid-19 restrictions, despite reports yesterday that the CCSA is considering such a move. According to a Nation Thailand report, Anutin Charnvirakul has also praised the country’s handling of the pandemic, including the vaccine rollout. Yesterday, Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control was reported as saying Thailand would need…
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Foreign ministry confirms Saudi leader will visit Thailand, most likely this year
The controversial Saudi leader, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, is likely to visit Thailand at some stage this year. Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai says the visit will happen once a roadmap for restoring bilateral ties has been agreed. The roadmap will focus on cooperation in areas such as energy and labour, according to the minister. After decades of…
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PayPal suspension to affect small businesses, consumers, freelancers
PayPal has confirmed its services in Thailand will be suspended from March 7 as it reviews its agreements in order to comply with Thai regulations. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, a spokesperson said consumers, sole proprietors, and freelancers will be affected by the move for a time. “We have already opened account registration for registered businesses and continue the process…
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German man’s body found hanging, his Kanchanaburi house on fire
The body of a 63 year old German man was found hanging on a wrought iron fence and his house was on fire. Police suspect the incident is a suicide, but are still investigating. The firefighters were summoned to Kanchanaburi Villa Housing Estate in the Tha Makham subdistrict of Muang this morning. Ten fire engines from the municipalities of Muang,…
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Bangkok officials to shut down more than 20 illegal landfills in the capital
The Thai government is launching a project to get rid of illegal landfills in Bangkok. The “SHUT DOWN!” project is led by Bangkok’s Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, also known as Greencrop. So far, two of the more than 20 illegal landfills were raided in the operation. A report in Thai media says the dumps were in Bangkok’s Latkrabang district…
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Hundreds of Thai tourists stuck on mountain while visiting Naga Cave
Hundreds of Thai tourists were stuck on the mountain after visiting the Naga Cave at Phu Langka National Park in Bueng Kan province on Saturday. The cave is known for a giant rock with scale-like marking and a shape that looks like the mystical serpent, Naga. Thai people believe that this is a sacred spot to wish for good luck,…
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Monday Covid Update: 10,470 new cases; provincial totals
12 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,303 with 605 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 10,470 new Covid-19 cases and 8,711 recoveries. There are now 92,784 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Fire breaks out by Phuket viewpoint, 16 Thai and foreign visitors rescued
Around 16 locals and Thais were evacuated from a forest in Phuket after a fire broke out and spread quickly by the Laem Krating viewpoint by the Krating Cape. The flames blocked the exit and authorities had to send a boat to pick the tourists and others up at the bottom of the hill in Phuket’s Rawai district. Phuket authorities…
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China proposes to donate two used submarines to Thai Navy after problems in purchase deal
The Royal Thai Navy is reportedly in talks with China about receiving two decommissioned military submarines. But apparently, the offer is on the table because there was a problem with ordering parts for the submarine currently being assembled by China for Thailand, according to the Bangkok Post. The used submarines would be used for training while Thailand waits for its…
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5 senior police officers demoted for allowing gambling operations
Five police officers were demoted for turning a blind eye to allow gambling venues to operate in their areas of jurisdiction. Those officers were from Khu Kot Police Station in Pathum Thani and Bang Sao Thong Police Station in Samut Prakan, where officers busted two large gambling operations and made dozens of arrests. The officers were demoted due to their…
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Calls for campaign to teach drivers to stop at red lights (yes, really)
The secretary-general of the Medical Council of Thailand has called for a campaign to educate Thai drivers about the need to stop at red lights and pedestrian crossings. In a post on his Facebook page, Ittaporn Kanacharoen says drivers need to be taught about the rights of pedestrians and the need to give way at zebra crossings and red traffic…
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Fear of back taxes preventing some businesses from participating in government co-payment scheme
Signs are popping up outside restaurants and shops across Thailand, advising customers that they don’t accept payment via the government’s 50/50 stimulus scheme. Thai PBS World reports that a number of businesses are refusing to participate in the Khon La Khrueng (Let’s Go Halves) subsidy scheme, fearful that the government will come along and claim back taxes further down the…
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Health ministry to propose easing Covid restrictions, in line with other countries
Thailand’s health officials plan to propose the easing of some Covid-19 restrictions in a bid to move away from imposing lockdowns when outbreaks are reported. Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says other countries are relaxing some curbs and Thailand is ready to follow suit. However, according to a Bangkok Post report, he did not specify what restrictions…
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Thai PM wants faster vaccines for kids 5 and older
Thai PM Prayut wants health authorities to move faster to vaccinate kids 5 years old and older, as infection rates have gone up for children in the age group 5-11 years of age. From January 1 to February 2, 2022, there were 10,266 Covid-19 cases for kids in this age group, a 5.6% increase from April to December 2021, government…
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In Bangkok, almost 90% of cars, motorbikes, public vehicles still don’t stop at zebra crossings
A health organisation and a road safety organisation teamed up to study how many cars, motorbikes, and public vehicles stop for pedestrians at 12 zebra crossings in Bangkok. They found that altogether, 89% wouldn’t stop. For motorcycles, the rate was 92% of 6,449 motorcycles that wouldn’t stop. For cars, the rate was 86% of 7,619. For public vehicles it was…
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Do you legally have to wear masks in Thailand?
With the Covid 19 pandemic came the wearing of masks as the new normal in Thailand, and many other countries around the world. Some people are fine with wearing masks whilst other remain strongly opposed to it, for a variety of reasons. Whether you like it or not it is “strongly encouraged” to wear a mask in Thailand. But do…
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Ex-deputy attorney general from Red Bull case applies join NACC
The controversial ex-deputy attorney who chose not to indict the Red Bull heir who killed a policeman in a hit-and-run accident in 2012 applied for a seat on Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Thursday. The former attorney general, Nate Naksuk, told Thai PBS in an interview that he wants to prove his innocence, and spend the rest of his…
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Sunday Covid numbers, sixth day of climbing infections
A new high today, the sixth day in a row where the new infection numbers have been slowly rising again in Thailand. Today’s total of 10,879 new infections is the highest since October 14 last year when the numbers were trending down following the Delta (third) wave was sweeping through Thailand (from July to November 2021). Out of today’s new…
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Deported Canadian gangster shot and killed in Phuket
UPDATED STORY HERE Two gunmen jumped out from bushes and shot and killed a Canadian man at The Beachfront Hotel Phuket in Rawai, a seaside resort town in the far south of Phuket, last night. Chalong police arrived on the scene at 6.30am this morning and found the victim lying face-down in a pool of blood next to a red…
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Sri Racha’s hemp-marijuana festival starts February 9
Festival organisers will host an event promoting marijuana for health benefits, even though they note that recreational smoking is still illegal in Thailand. The festival is called “Hemp-Marijuana, King of Herbs,” and will last from February 9-14 at the Pacific Park Shopping Mall in Sri Racha. The festival will have concerts, 24 booths that will teach people how to grow…
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Prayut tells Bangkok vocational students to stop violence
After police found more than 32 knives, and gun ammunition at one Bangkok university on Thursday, PM Prayut has called on students and alumni to end to the violence. Police searched the school grounds of the Uthenthawai campus of Rajamangala University of Technology after a video of students firing guns into the air went viral on Wednesday. Uthenthawai is one…
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Thailand’s Covid infections push through the 10,000 milestone again
Thailand has pushed over the 10,000 new Covid infections a day for the first time since October 18 last year. Over the past 5 weeks the daily reports have hovered mostly in the 7,000 – 8,000 infection range. 217 of yesterday’s number scame from overseas arrivals. There were also 21 Covid-related deaths reported in today’s statistics, whilst 88,463 people remain under…
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Mother of eye doctor killed at Bangkok zebra crossing calls for justice
Justice is being called on Thailand’s traffic laws system by the mother of the doctor who was fatally hit by a police officer’s Ducati while walking on a zebra crossing in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai area 2 weeks ago. A petition was sent to a parliamentary law committee yesterday. The appeal was addressed to the House law committee by the mother of…
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Calls for investigation into Bangkok governor candidate’s “unusual wealth”
The candidate running for Bangkok governor, who drew attention when he claimed to have studied engineering under Albert Einstein’s grandson, is now in the spotlight for his “unusual wealth,” according to Thai media reports. An anonymous person leaked information showing that the candidate’s assets increased to 245 million baht within one year. The House Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Committee, led by…
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Suvarnabhumi airport warns people travelling out of Thailand, don’t bring over 30 masks
After the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services announced on January 25 that face masks were on its list of controlled products, Suvarnabhumi International Airport announced yesterday that people flying out of Thailand can’t bring over 30 face masks with them unless they have a doctor’s note. If they have a doctor’s note, they may bring up to…
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Thai PM – “I will stay on as long as the law allows”
“I will stay on as long as the law allows. I am bound by the law, and cannot do anything at will.” Words from Thailand’s PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday, vowing that he will only stay on in the top job whilst the law allows him too. He also reminded reporters that there are two organic laws regarding elections in Thailand…
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Thailand’s DDC director says Covid may enter post-pandemic phase this year
As Thailand has seen a downswing of daily new Covid-19 infections, which have remained below 10,000 since the beginning of January, the country’s Department of Disease Control director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong says the widespread virus may enter the post-pandemic stage this year. The global outbreak has three stages: pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic, the director says, adding that the world may…
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Foreigner steals 3,600 baht from Phuket cab driver
A Phuket cab driver caught a foreigner stealing 3,600 baht from his cab on camera last Sunday, January 30. The driver works for the inDriver app. He had stopped to get out of the car for a bathroom break when the foreign man snatched the cash into his pocket from the centre console between the two front seats. The driver…
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