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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    Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know

    The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...

  • Cryptocurrency ban in China fuels Thailand’s crypto mining boom | Thaiger

    Cryptocurrency ban in China fuels Thailand’s crypto mining boom

    China’s recent ban and crackdown on cryptocurrency has fuelled a cryptocurrency mining boom in Thailand as small investors quickly buy up the equipment that are now useless in China. In September, China’s central bank declared all digital currency trading and mining illegal. Some of the largest Bitcoin mining operations in the world relocated while many smaller miners are now selling…

  • Thai Health Ministry refutes claim that cloth masks don’t protect against Omicron | Thaiger

    Thai Health Ministry refutes claim that cloth masks don’t protect against Omicron

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is insisting that cloth face masks can provide a level of protection against the Omicron variant – provided they’re worn correctly. Dr Supakit Sirilak was responding to a statement from the Covid-19 Information Centre which cited data from Dr Leana Wen at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Wen, who is…

  • Wife of tycoon jailed for killing protected wildlife pleads for him to be hospitalised | Thaiger

    Wife of tycoon jailed for killing protected wildlife pleads for him to be hospitalised

    The wife of the former head of Italian-Thai Development has pleaded with authorities to transfer him out of prison and into hospital. Earlier this month, Premchai Karnasuta was jailed for 3 years and 3 months for hunting and killing protected wildlife in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. The offences took place nearly 4 years ago. The Bangkok Post reports that…

  • Omicron variant spreading rapidly, infections highest in Bangkok, North-East | Thaiger

    Omicron variant spreading rapidly, infections highest in Bangkok, North-East

    The Public Health Ministry says the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly in Thailand and has now been confirmed in 33 provinces. Dr Supakit Sirilak says that out of 740 infections, 489 have been imported and the remainder are cases of community transmission. Bangkok currently has the highest number, which Supakit attributes to increased testing at Suvarnabhumi to screen international arrivals.…

  • 5,000-baht payouts go out to registered nightlife workers | Thaiger

    5,000-baht payouts go out to registered nightlife workers

    Plans for a one-time cash payout to aid registered nightlife workers made unemployed by Covid-19 restrictions are coming to fruition with the first round of payments going out today. About 30,000 workers in the entertainment and nightlife sectors should receive a payment of 5,000 baht. The payment is the first of several intended to go out to each of the…

  • DHS offers car travel tips for Covid-19 safety for New Year’s | Thaiger

    DHS offers car travel tips for Covid-19 safety for New Year’s

    A list of car travel tips has just been released by the Department of Health Services to encourage people to be conscientious of Covid-19 safety during the New Year’s holiday.  The department put out the list as highly-transmissible Omicron variant infections spread across Thailand in an effort to get people to exercise caution against the virus, though some of the…

  • 100% Wear a Helmet campaign will have police lend a helmet to offenders | Thaiger

    100% Wear a Helmet campaign will have police lend a helmet to offenders

    The “100% Wear a Helmet” campaign was intensified by Phuket Police with an event at Region 8 Police headquarters in Tha Chatchai aimed at increasing public awareness. The event was held on Monday in an attempt to push everyone in Phuket to wear motorbike helmets when driving, with helmets being handed out to students and motorbike taxi drivers as part…

  • Many in Chanthaburi get diarrhoea, local health official says watch what you eat | Thaiger

    Many in Chanthaburi get diarrhoea, local health official says watch what you eat

    While health officials across Thailand are monitoring Covid-19, doctors in Chanthaburi are trying to figure out why so many residents have diarrhoea. A provincial public health official is now advising people to watch what they eat. Locals have reached out to each other on social media, trying to figure out why so many people, even those travelling through the province,…

  • Bangkok revises closure order, bars and nightclubs to stay closed until January 15 | Thaiger

    Bangkok revises closure order, bars and nightclubs to stay closed until January 15

    Bangkok officials revised its provincial closure order and extended the date the order is in effect to January 15, requiring bars and entertainment venues to remain shut for at least the next two weeks, which is in line with government’s nationwide closure order. Approved New Year countdown events still can continue under the “Covid-19 Free Setting” measures, which require proof…

  • How is the work culture for women in Thailand? | Ask the Girls (Pt. 1) | Thaiger

    How is the work culture for women in Thailand? | Ask the Girls (Pt. 1)

    What do women think about equal rights and opportunities at the workplace? How does their country differ from Thailand? Are women supportive of other women at the work place? Join Natty as she ask’s the girls.

  • Wednesday Covid Update: 2,575 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Wednesday Covid Update: 2,575 new cases; provincial totals

    17 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,647 with 21,553 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 2,575 new Covid-19 cases and 2,695 recoveries. There are now 33,502 people in Thailand being…

  • UPDATE: Israeli escapee given slap-on-the-wrist fine | Thaiger

    UPDATE: Israeli escapee given slap-on-the-wrist fine

    Ohad Baruch, the Israeli tourist who violated Thai law and the emergency decree by fleeing his SHA+ hotel to Pattaya and Koh Samui while waiting for RT-PCR tests, has received a small fine and will face deportation. The punishment for violating the emergency decree is up to 40,000 baht and 2 years in prison, but today the Bangkok South Municipal…

  • Pattaya hotel raided for gambling, 42 people arrested | Thaiger

    Pattaya hotel raided for gambling, 42 people arrested

    A Pattaya hotel room was raided by police and 42 people now face charges for gambling, which is illegal in Thailand. Officers also seized tables, cards, and gambling chips with a total market value of roughly 500 million baht (the US$15 million). Firearms were seized from the dealers. Acting on a court warrant, police raided the Le Vernissage Hotel, a…

  • Tourist Police launch “New Year New Normal 2022” campaign | Thaiger

    Tourist Police launch “New Year New Normal 2022” campaign

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand has a never-ending cavalcade of exciting new promotion plans to attract top travellers to the country. Now the Tourist Police Bureau is getting in on the act, launching “New Year New Normal 2022” focused on highlighting travel safety in Thailand. The plan will include more personnel on duty to assist any travellers in need, as…

  • Chiang Mai hoteliers ordered to strictly follow Covid prevention for Test & Go travellers | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai hoteliers ordered to strictly follow Covid prevention for Test & Go travellers

    Chiang Mai health officials are ordering hoteliers to be more strict when it comes to Covid-19 preventative measures, especially when it comes to the Test & Go entry scheme, after two foreign travellers in the northern province tested positive for the Omicron variant. Under the Test & Go scheme (registration is closed), fully vaccinated travellers can enter Thailand after passing…

  • Movie theatre set up at Prachinburi graveyard to entertain the dead | Thaiger

    Movie theatre set up at Prachinburi graveyard to entertain the dead

    An outdoor movie theatre was set up at a graveyard in the central province Prachinburi, but the films weren’t playing for the living. The movies were intended to entertain the spirits. The owner of a local movie theatre wanted to make an offering to his ancestors and others buried at the cemetery. Apparently, this is the fourth time the theatre…

  • Inter-provincial bus services to be increased over New Year holiday | Thaiger

    Inter-provincial bus services to be increased over New Year holiday

    The president of the Transport Company says inter-provincial bus and van services are being extended to meet increased demand over the New Year period. According to a Bangkok Post report, Sanyalux Panwattanalikit is expecting passenger numbers to increase by 30% during the end-of-year holiday. Between yesterday and Thursday of next week, the company expects to transport an average of 60,000…

  • Celebrate the festive season at Angsana Laguna Phuket | Thaiger

    Celebrate the festive season at Angsana Laguna Phuket

    Sponsored Article  Celebrate the festive season at Angsana Laguna Phuket, a vibrant resort located on Bang Tao Beach. A variety of enticing dining options are sure to make the festive season special at the tropical resort in Laguna Phuket Angsana Laguna Phuket is here to present you with a variety of fascinating events as we approach the most delightful time…

  • Thailand accelerates anti-doping decree to appease World Anti-Doping Agency | Thaiger

    Thailand accelerates anti-doping decree to appease World Anti-Doping Agency

    Officials have approved an executive decree to change Thailand’s anti-doping law in an effort to have a ban on hosting international tournaments lifted. Last month, the World Anti-Doping Agency ruled that Thailand was non-compliant with its 2021 code for failing to fully implement the organisation’s anti-doping code. According to a Bangkok Post report, Thai athletes can still participate in international…

  • Government officials ordered to work from home, private sector urged to follow | Thaiger

    Government officials ordered to work from home, private sector urged to follow

    The Public Health Ministry says government officials have been ordered to work from home after the New Year holiday break and the private sector is being “asked to follow suit” to protect their employees. According to a Bangkok Post report, schools may also face a return to online learning in a bid to control the spread of the Omicron variant.…

  • Tuesday Covid Update: 2,305 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Tuesday Covid Update: 2,305 new cases; provincial totals

    32 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,630 with 21,536 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 2,305 new Covid-19 cases and 3,070 recoveries. There are now 33,639 people in Thailand being…

  • Does Thailand recognise legal gay marriage from other countries? | Thaiger

    Does Thailand recognise legal gay marriage from other countries?

    Does Thailand care about civil partnerships or gay marriage? Does Thailand recognise legal gay marriage from other countries? When will parliament implement changes? Tim sits down with Benjamin Hart from Integrity Legal to talk about Civil Partnerships in Thailand.

  • TUI Nordic continue their European flights into Phuket | Thaiger

    TUI Nordic continue their European flights into Phuket

    Yesterday it was reported that Europe’s largest travel firm TUI Nordic announced it had cancelled scheduled chartered flights to Phuket from December to April next year. The Thaiger has since been contacted by TUI Nordic to say that the information, originally published by The Nation, was incorrect. European travel giant TUI, with their headquarters in Sweden, have now confirmed that…

  • Pattaya residents and expats accuse bank manager of fraud, hold protest | Thaiger

    Pattaya residents and expats accuse bank manager of fraud, hold protest

    Around 50 to 100 Thais and foreigners in Pattaya held a protest last Friday accusing the assistant manager of a local Kasikorn Bank branch of scamming them out of more than 300 million baht. A report was filed back in February accusing the assistant bank manager of defrauding people out of millions of baht, for some it was their life…

  • Evacuation drills run for students in Thailand’s border region as violence in Myanmar escalates | Thaiger

    Evacuation drills run for students in Thailand’s border region as violence in Myanmar escalates

    With clashes just across the border between the Myanmar state military and the ethnic army troops so close that bullets are landing on Thai soil, students in Mae Hong Son are being trained on how to escape if the gunfire reaches the school grounds. Soldiers and teachers ran drills over the weekend for students at the Baan Ta Fang school.…

  • 700 inmates fight at Isaan prison, 3 seriously injured | Thaiger

    700 inmates fight at Isaan prison, 3 seriously injured

    A fight involving around 700 inmates broke out at a prison in the Isaan province Sisaket over the weekend, seriously injuring three of the prisoners. Ten other inmates were also injured. At around 9am on Sunday, as they were finishing breakfast, more than 700 prisoners divided into two sides and started fighting, some using toothbrushes they had sharpened as a…

  • New Year glass half-empty for TAT due to Omicron variant | Thaiger

    New Year glass half-empty for TAT due to Omicron variant

    The normally optimistic Tourism Authority of Thailand is feeling slightly more downbeat amid concerns about a potential Omicron outbreak. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says the threat of another Covid-19 outbreak is affecting travel sentiment. According to a Bangkok Post report, he expects New Year travel to generate just 8.04 billion baht in domestic tourism revenue. “Concerns over a possible outbreak…

  • Thailand’s Health Ministry outlines plan to tackle potential Omicron outbreak | Thaiger

    Thailand’s Health Ministry outlines plan to tackle potential Omicron outbreak

    Thailand is preparing for a potential outbreak of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, with plans to revive the home isolation programme. Dr Somsak Akksilp from the Public Health Ministry’s Medical Services Department says home isolation can be used for most infected people, along with community isolation facilities in Bangkok. According to a Thai PBS World report, Somsak is confident that home…

  • UPDATE: TUI Nordic to continue services into Phuket | Thaiger

    UPDATE: TUI Nordic to continue services into Phuket

    UPDATE: Yesterday it was reported that Europe’s largest travel firm TUI Nordic announced it had cancelled scheduled chartered flights to Phuket from December to April next year. We’ve since been contacted by TUI Nordic to say that the information, originally published by The Nation, was incorrect. A Phuket representative was quoted originally, but the Senior Product Manager of TUI Nordic,…

  • Monday Covid Update: 2,437 new cases; provincial totals | Thaiger

    Monday Covid Update: 2,437 new cases; provincial totals

    18 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,598 with 21,504 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 2,437 new Covid-19 cases and 3,845 recoveries. There are now 34,436 people in Thailand being…