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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Get a Covid test before sex, Thailand’s DDC recommends ahead of Valentine’s Day
Before getting intimate on Valentine’s Day, get tested for Covid-19. That’s the recommendation from Thailand’s Department of Disease Control. Authorities are advising couples to undergo a rapid antigen Covid-19 test before having sex. The DDC director-general Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai expressed his concerns today that there might be an uptick in Covid-19 cases following Valentine’s Day. While couples are out on dates…
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Tinder Thailand launches Valentine’s campaign at Bangkok shrine of love
If the god of love is too busy to fulfil love wishes, Tinder might be able to help. The dating application Tinder Thailand is collaborating with CentralWorld in Bangkok to launch the Valentine’s Day campaign LOVE destiNATION right in front of a popular shrine where many go to pray for love. In front of the Trimurti Shrine by the shopping…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 13,182 new cases; provincial totals
24 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,344 with 646 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,182 new Covid-19 cases and 8,571 recoveries. There are now 98,830 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Democrat politician jumps ship to join Move Forward Party
A prominent MP, formerly part of the Democrat Party, has resigned and joined the opposition Move Forward Party. The MP, Tawil Praisont, said he had been considering leaving the Democrat Party for quite some time because it didn’t want to decentralise local administrative organisations, especially after Thailand’s 2019 general elections. Tawil said he started to regularly meet with a Move…
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Park officials make changes after overcrowding at Naga Cave
Park officials at the popular destination for Thai tourists, Naga Cave, are stepping up to limit the number of visitors after the site was so crowded with visitors that hundreds were stuck on the mountain waiting to get down. Following the incident, Phu Lanka National Park officials set stricter measures and made changes to staffing. Yesterday, the Ministry of Natural…
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Government will focus daily Covid-19 reports on serious cases, wants to reduce anxiety
After Thailand’s number of Covid-19 infections per day went above 10,000 this weekend, the government plans to change how it does daily Covid-19 reports. In a two-day a week test, the government reports will only focus on deaths and serious cases where people needed to be hospitalised with ventilators, or had pneumonia. The Ministry of Public Health says that even…
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Thai police track down, arrest suspect in bank robbery case
Police arrested a man suspected of robbing a bank in the central province Saraburi and running off with around 210,000 baht in cash. In an expedited investigation, with local police promising to find the suspect within the week, officers tracked down and arrested 33 year old Weerachai Auttaparp at his house about 10 kilometres from the bank. Videos from the…
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Female boxer fights back after man pours beer over her for refusing to drink with him
A Bangkok man got more than he bargained for when he poured beer over a woman who turned out to be a Muay Thai boxer. A video of the incident, in which 24 year old Pareploy Saeaia can be seen kicking and shoving the perpetrator, has since gone viral. In the clip, Pareploy can be seen in a wet dress…
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Thailand’s famous noodle dish, Pad Thai, included in Oxford online dictionary
Thailand’s iconic noodle dish, Pad Thai, has made it into the Oxford online dictionary, according to a Thai PBS World report. The dictionary defines Pad Thai as, “a dish from Thailand made with a type of noodles made from rice, spices, egg, vegetables and sometimes meat or seafood.” Pad Thai, a stir-fried noodle dish which is usually made with chicken,…
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Health officials advise public to guard against mosquito bites, dengue fever
Health officials in Thailand are urging the public to take precautions against mosquito bites, with dengue fever likely to become more prevalent this year. Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says the number of dengue infections decreased in the last 2 years, primarily as a result of people staying home during the pandemic. However, the mosquito-borne illness…
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Minimum daily wage in Thailand looks set to increase to 492 baht
The Labour Ministry is expected to approve a rise in Thailand’s daily minimum wage from 336 baht to a flat rate of 492, according to a Nation Thailand report. The sharp increase comes just 2 years after a previous hike and is expected to mainly favour labourers. It’s understood that 2 agencies representing workers in the Tripartite Wage Committee have…
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Official vows to protect Kanchanaburi locals against tiger attacks
After a Karen man was seriously injured after three tigers attacked him in a Kanchanaburi forest in January, the director of Protected Area Regional Office 3 says patrols from two national parks will guard locals against attacks. The man managed to climb up a tree to escape, but the tigers killed two of his dogs. He was taken to a…
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Health Minister signs document removing cannabis with low-THC from narcotics list
The Public Health Minister Autin Charnvirakul signed a document to remove cannabis from the ministry’s list of Category 5 narcotics. It will be in effect within 120 days after the announcement from the Royal Gazette. Cannabis with a concentration of the psychoactive component THC exceeding 0.2% is still illegal. The minister says getting high off cannabis is still illegal, with heavy…
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Police seize 16 kilograms of methamphetamine in Nakhon Si Thammarat
A drug suppression squad in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat seized 16 kilograms of methamphetamine in a sting operation. The undercover operation was led by the provincial governor in Phrom Khiri district and included police and officials from the Internal Security Operations Command. An undercover cop arranged an appointment with a suspect who is identified as 32 year…
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Cat sits on sports car, owner demands 100,000 baht to pay for scratches
The owner of a luxury sports car has reportedly filed a lawsuit against their neighbour claiming 100,000 baht in damages after a cat climbed and sat on top of their black and yellow Lotus sports car, causing some scratches. The story was widely shared in Thailand and the latest reports say the owner has since apologised, adding that he doesn’t…
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Police search for bank robber who stole more than 200,000 baht in cash
Police are searching for a man who robbed a bank in the central province of Saraburi and ran off with 210,000 baht in cash. Officers say they want to make an arrest within the next seven days and have offered a 10,000 baht reward to anyone who has information that leads to an arrest. Thai media says the man was…
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Man allegedly attacks neighbour in Bangkok, claiming revenge for black magic
A 47 year old man from Sri Lanka was arrested after he allegedly attacked a neighbour, smashing a glass bottle on his head and then stabbing him with the broken glass. Reports say he claimed the victim had used black magic against him to cause him pain. The victim, who is also 47 years old, says he was eating dinner…
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Maharaj Tunnel opens in Bangkok, pedestrian underpass to the Grand Palace
A new pedestrian underpass in Bangkok officially opened yesterday, with a small exhibition along the underground route to the Grand Palace. In addition to easing traffic problems in the heart of the city, the Maharaj Tunnel offers an exhibition showcasing the history of Bangkok as well as Thai architecture. It also provides clean toilets for those walking throughout the city.…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 10,398 new cases; provincial totals
17 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 22,320 with 622 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 10,398 new Covid-19 cases and 8,922 recoveries. There are now 94,243 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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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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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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Tourism revenue hits record low across all 77 provinces in Thailand
Tourism revenue has plummeted across each of the 77 provinces, according to data from Thailand’s tourism ministry. The Bangkok Post reports that income from both foreign and local tourism reached an historic low in 2021, dropping by nearly 70%. Meanwhile, the revenue gap between Bangkok and other major provinces remains wide. In 2021, Bangkok posted the highest revenue at 62.7…
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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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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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Police arrest man for allegedly stealing 4,900 euros from tourists in Phuket
Police arrested a man who allegedly stole 4,900 euros from a Greek family travelling in Phuket. The family had left nearly their cash in their car, thinking it would be more secure than their hotel room where there was no safe to lock anything away while the maid cleaned. The suspect allegedly told police he spent most of the money…
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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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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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