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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Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Teenagers arrested for handing out small bombs at Bangkok protest
Police arrested three teenagers for allegedly distributing ping pong bombs at Sunday’s protest in Bangkok’s Din Dang area. Officers say the teenagers had added more gunpowder to the explosives to make them more powerful. Police seized 75 ping pong bombs from a suspect’s home. The teenagers allegedly told police that they had purchased the 100 ping bombs from a factory…
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Protester injured and loses sight in one eye, family plans legal action
A 29 year old protester injured in a Bangkok rally last week has lost sight in one eye. Tanat Thanakitamnuay’s family says his right eye was hit by a “blunt cylindrical object” – which Coconuts Bangkok says was a tear gas canister – tearing the cornea, rupturing the eyeball, and causing his retina to peel off. Several protesters have been injured…
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Former Future Forward leader Thanathorn faces new lese majeste charges
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the leader of the now-dissolved Future Forward Party, is facing new trouble with 2 new lese majeste charges. The charges come from statements he made months ago about AstraZeneca being produced domestically in Thailand by Siam Bioscience, a company wholly owned by a subsidiary of Crown Property Bureau. Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the…
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Traveling abroad? This helpful tool lets you check visa requirements all at once
Press Release As the world slowly opens up, more and more people are itching to get out of the house and take a much-needed vacation. However, with so many new visa-free arrangements and entry rules, it can be hard to keep up with the requirements for each individual country. Thanks to this, many are left scratching their heads and asking…
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Immigration police arrest man for allegedly laundering money for drug trafficking syndicate
A 31 year old man from India was arrested by Thai immigration police for allegedly laundering money for an international drug trafficking syndicate in Southern Thailand. Officers say the man has been buying gold with money obtained through the illegal drug trade and opened an electrical appliance store in Bangkok’s Pahurat area as a cover for the money laundering operations.…
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Thailand planning travel bubble with South Korea once Covid crisis eases
Thailand plans to launch a travel bubble arrangement with South Korea once the Covid-19 situation improves, according to tourism officials. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the plan would allow for quarantine-free travel between the 2 countries, with hopes it will provide Thailand with a much-needed tourism boost. The plan has been confirmed by the TAT’s Thanet Petchsuwan, who will…
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Amnesty International demands investigation into shooting of protesters
Amnesty International Thailand is calling for a full investigation into the shooting of young anti-government protesters, with 1 teenager currently in a coma. The unnamed 15 year old was shot in the back of the neck, while a 14 and 16 year old were also shot. The father of the 14 year old has already filed a police complaint. However,…
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Friday Covid Update: 19,851 new cases and 240 deaths
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 19,851 new Covid-19 cases and 240 coronavirus-related deaths today. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, there have been 980,847 confirmed Covid-19 infections. Over the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 20,478 recoveries from Covid-19. There are now 205,079 people…
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60 of 155 national parks reopened across Thailand
With Covid-19 closing or prohibiting many things people love about Thailand – nightlife, massage shops, cheap drinks, even some beaches – the country’s natural beauty is once again be available for people to enjoy. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has reopened 60 of the 155 national parks across all of Thailand from now until further notice.…
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Father of teenager that was shot near Monday’s protest files police complaint
The father of the teenager who was shot near the Din Daeng Police Station in Bangkok as Monday’s pro-democracy protest was going on has filed a complaint with the police today. The father is demanding that the shooter face legal ramifications for what happened to his son. Choonhavan Homya’s 14 year old son, who was shot in the shoulder, will…
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Doctor urges everyone to be nicer to people who have recovered from Covid, warns everyone will contract the virus
A Thai doctor is asking everyone to be nicer to people who have recovered from Covid because they’ve already suffered enough. He says some have even had near-death experiences. Dr Manoon adds that everyone will eventually contract the virus. Dr Manoon works at the Vichaiyut Hospital and made his Covid statement on Facebook today. He says many people who have…
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Kratom can legally be grown and leaves can be sold commercially next week
Starting next Tuesday, Kratom can be grown and its leaves, which have mind-altering characteristics, can be sold commercially in the Land of Smiles without the threat of prosecution. Also, people who have been detained for Kratom related offences will be released and their charges will be dropped. Currently, there are 1,038 people in prison for Kratom related offences. They will…
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No drinking of snake blood at this year’s Cobra Gold military exercise, PETA says
The controversial practice of decapitating snakes and pouring the blood into soldiers’ mouths is apparently no longer part of the jungle survival training for US and other foreign troops at Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold military exercise. PETA, or the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been calling for an end to the snake blood exercise and the killing…
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Phuket Fishing Port closed for 14 days following Covid outbreak
A series of Covid infections on fishing boats has shut down the Phuket Fishing Port, located on Koh Siray, for 14 days. The 2 week closure is to allow all operators and fishing crews who operate out of the port to get tested for Covid. The president of the Phuket Fishermen’s Association, Somyot Wongbunyakul, announced the port closure yesterday. The…
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Army pursues those claiming they brought Covid-19 to Thailand
The Royal Thai Army is fighting on a very different battleground today as they vowed to take action against a rumour online that they were responsible for letting Covid-19 into Thailand. The allegations are being made on Thai social media that an army medical research facility first brought the Coronavirus into the country and it spread from there. Channel 7…
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Vietjet to launch 4 direct cross-country routes from September
From next month, Vietjet will resume a number of domestic routes between Thai provinces without the need to connect in Bangkok. The carrier is promoting 4 routes for around 389 baht when taxes and other fees are factored in. According to TTR Weekly, the airline has dropped its 1pm – 3pm booking window so passengers now have more time to…
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7 year old living alone after whole family contracts Covid, officials ask neighbours to help out
A 7 year old is living by himself after his 8 family members who also lived with him tested positive for Covid. Since the boy, identified as Bass, is the only family member not to test positive for Covid, he got to stay behind in his home in Nonthaburi, the province just outside of Bangkok. A local rescue team, RX…
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Parit’s bail request rejected, after activist allegedly contracted Covid-19 in prison
A bail application for jailed political activist Parit Chiwarak, aka, “Penguin”, has been rejected, with his lawyer saying he has also tested positive for Covid-19. 7 other activists had their bail requests rejected at the same hearing. All 8 have been charged over an anti-government protest at police headquarters in the central province of Pathum Thani on August 2. According…
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PM says Covid restrictions could be eased next month if enforced more efficiently now
Thailand’s PM says some Covid-19 restrictions may be relaxed from next month, if the infection rate starts to come down. Until then, he says everyone should strictly adhere to the rules, thereby making the restrictions more effective and reducing the number of new cases and fatalities. Prayut Chan-o-cha was addressing the nation via his Facebook page, according to a Bangkok…
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CCSA approves Sputnik vaccine, allowing Russian Sandboxers
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration quietly okayed the Russian Sputnik vaccine as one of the accepted vaccine brands for international travellers entering Sandbox destinations in Thailand. The vaccine had previously failed to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration for import and use in Thailand. The Department of Disease Control is now expected to approve the order from…
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Grenade found outside local politician’s home in Prachin Buri
A grenade was found in front of a local politician’s home in the central province Prachin Buri, east of Bangkok. The chief of the Kham Tanot Administrative Organization, 53 year old Suchart Dejsupha, said he was in a meeting when he received a message from his daughter with a photo of what appeared to be a bomb outside his house. Police…
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Woman advertises free antigen test kits with purchase of water, FDA investigates
Thailand’s FDA is planning legal action against Pimradaporn Benjawattanapat, an online seller also known as “Pimrypie”. Pimradaporn allegedly tried to give a set of antigen test kits as a gift alongside purchases of mineral water. The FDA deputy secretary general, Dr Surachok Tangwiwat, says his office will ask the Consumer Protection Police Division to investigate Pimradaporn’s ads for mineral water…
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Ban lifted on longan fruit to China over mealybugs
After a ban implemented on August 13, China has now agreed to let longan fruit exports back into their country. The ban from last week was the result of mealybugs being found to have contaminated longan shipments from Thailand. The Commerce Ministry confirmed that the Chinese government has now allowed 56 specific sorting and packaging facilities to export to China…
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Man arrested for allegedly stealing plants valued at 18,500 baht
Police arrested a man who allegedly stole four expensive potted plants from outside a home in the eastern province Sa Kaeo. Officers say the plants are valued at 18,500 baht. The stolen plants include the Dieffenbachia valued at 7,000 baht, Variegated Arrowhead Vine valued at 3,500 baht, Syngonium Pink Spot valued at 3,000 baht, and the Monstera Thai Constellation valued…
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Hospitals face alleged favouritism in distribution of vaccines
A probe is being launched to investigate the director of Chaloem Phra Kiat Hospital who is accused of favouritism after his wife and an associate received Pfizer vaccines they were not qualified for. A committee was set up yesterday by the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Public Health Office to look into the improper vaccine allotment as the Pfizer vaccines have been…
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Dengue fever on the rise in Bangkok, Department of Disease Control reports
Dengue fever is reportedly on the rise in Bangkok and the Department of Disease Control says the number of dengue infections in the capital reported from January 3 to July 3 is “unprecedented,” according to Nation Thailand. During the six month period, a total of 1,043 people in Bangkok tested positive for the mosquito-borne illness, which is also known as…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 20,515 new cases; provincial totals
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 20,515 new Covid-19 cases and a record high of 312 coronavirus-related deaths. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 968,967 confirmed Covid-19 infections and 8,285 coronavirus-related fatalities. There are now 207,553 people in Thailand receiving treatment for the coronavirus, a decline over the past few…
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Massage businesses file class action suit against government over Covid restrictions
Thailand’s massage parlours and spas are suing the government, demanding compensation for the loss of income they’ve endured as a result of Covid-19 partial lockdowns. Thai PBS World reports that 172 massage parlours and spas filed a class action suit against the Finance Ministry and the government. They are demanding to be compensated for the financial losses they’ve suffered since…
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Woman who stole over 250 million baht from sick mother sentenced to 12 years
A Bangkok woman who stole 253 million baht from her elderly sick mother has been jailed for 12 years. The Bangkok Post reports that 55 year old Mawadi Siwirat stole the money from her 84 year old mother, named as Huay Siwirat, while she was receiving hospital treatment for a heart condition. Mawadi pled guilty and was found guilty on…
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