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 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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Chiang Mai street vendor with busty top files sexual harassment complaint with police
The Chiang Mai street vendor who went viral for her revealing cardigan-style top just filed a sexual harassment complaint with Thai police. The 23 year old known as Nong Olive is known for wearing an open chest shirt, showing her cleavage and midriff, while making Thai-style pancakes, which is a popular street food known in Thai as “khanom Tokyo.” Nong…
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Three arrested in human trafficking crackdown near Myanmar border
Three people are accused of being involved in a transnational human trafficking operation where Burmese migrants were promised help entering Thailand for jobs and later forced into labour, even prostitution. The suspects were arrested in Tak’s Mae Sot district, which borders Myanmar. The suspects allegedly lured migrants into Thailand by helping them cross the border illegally, evading immigration checks and…
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Hua Hin luxury resort guest claims “peeping Toms” stared at him naked
A guest at a luxury resort in Hua Hin had booked a private room that ended up being not so private. Apparently, there were some “peeping Toms” and the guest says he was worried they may have taken a photo of him naked. The resort gave him some bottles of beer as an apology for the “inconvenience.” This Thai guest…
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168 Thai soldiers apparently forced to finish masturbating before showering
More than 160 Thai soldiers were apparently forced to masturbate… and climax… before they were allowed to take a shower. At least that’s what a social media user claims. Numerous Thai media outlets have reported the story, but there has been no confirmation or statement from military officials. On Facebook, a screenshot was shared, and picked up by Thai media,…
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Thailand deploys “King Cobra” unit at Myanmar border to monitor illegal crossings
The lifting of restrictions on Covid-19 in Thailand, which culminated with its reopening on November 1, sparked a surge in demand for foreign labor, making it very difficult to control the illegal border crossings. To deal with it, Thailand’s “King Cobra” special unit team under the Surasee Taskforce is now actively searching for unauthorised migrants along its western border with…
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Thai Airways offering round trip Sydney-Phuket flights
To boost tourism and promote Phuket’s island quarantine “sandbox” scheme, Thai Airways will run round trip flights between Phuket and Australia with three flights a week starting on today. The flights will be offered until January 25. The flight from Phuket to Sydney is available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Flights depart from Phuket at 6:50pm and arrive at 7:30am.…
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1 tourist killed, 8 wounded in crash while on tour of Chiang Mai mountain
A tourist was killed and eight others were wounded in a van crash yesterday while travellers were on a tour of Doi Ang Khang mountain in northern Chiang Mai. Around 10am, the 15-seater Toyota van crashed while going down a turn on a mountain road in the Fang district, skidding off the road and into a ditch, according to the…
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Hotel staff in close contact to Omicron case tests positive for Covid, variant not confirmed
One of 17 people in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand tested positive for Covid-19, but lab tests are still being done to confirm the variant. Thai health officials announced yesterday that the first Omicron case was detected in Thailand after an American travelling from Spain, via Dubai, entering under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme…
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Recovery of Thailand’s international tourism sector likely to take years
International tourism demand for Thailand is still low, according to a Bangkok Post report, with a full recovery predicted to take years. Just 133,061 foreign arrivals touched down in Thailand between November 1 and 30, well below the 3 million visitors a month of pre-pandemic times. However, despite low visitor numbers to his province, Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn from the Tourism Council…
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LATEST NEWS: First Omicron case detected in Thailand
The Thai Ministry of Public Health announced earlier today that the first covid variant ‘Omicron’ has been detected in the country. The person is a 36 year old American tourist who from Spain, via Dubai, on the Test and Go scheme (for travellers who have been fully vaccinated). It’s been revealed that he was living in Spain for 12 months.…
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First Omicron strain reported in Thailand, Test & Go traveller tests positive
The first Covid-19 case involving an Omicron mutation has been reported in Thailand. Health officials say an American who travelled from Spain was found to be infected with a strain that matched the Omicron variant by 99.92%. The man entered Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. This is a developing story and will be updated. SOURCE: BBC…
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Covid UPDATE: Still no Omicron, today’s infections drop to 4,000
Generally good news on the Covid front in Thailand with the daily new case reports mostly under 5,000 for the past week and the number of deaths also reaching new lows of 30-50 each day, both huge reductions from August this year when the number of daily deaths from Covid were exceeding 300. And for the Omicron trackers, we’re happy…
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Woman who told PM Prayut to “retire quickly” claims police visited her
A woman who told PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to his face to “retire quickly” claims that police requested a meeting with her to discuss her offence. The incident took place on Wednesday when the prime minister visited Udon Thani and a group of well-wishers were welcoming him. Video of the day captured the interaction and caused a stir in media. The…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY: 4,704 infections, 27 deaths, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 4,704 new Covid-19 infections, down 1,192 since yesterday, and 27 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 10 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,112,368 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,149 recoveries, up 483 from…
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HM The King returns to Thailand for Father’s Day commemorations
Today is Father’s Day in Thailand. As it falls on a weekend, tomorrow, Monday, December 6, will be a public holiday around Thailand. December 5 is the birthdate of the former Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej who, even though passing away in 2016, still has his birthdate remembered each year as the national Fathers Day. Today, King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen…
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PM says government move to digital technology will grow economy
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on organisations in Thailand to stay focused on the development of digital technology to grow the economy. The prime minister hosted a ceremony for the Digital Government Awards 2021 this week, bestowing honours on those public agencies that have already adopted digital technology. At the event, PM Prayut offered praise for the government agencies making…
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PM reports no Omicron variant in Thailand yet, New Year’s a go
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke out to reassure the people of Thailand that no cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the country as of now. The prime minister said that preventative measures were being strictly followed to keep Thailand safe and to allow New Years festivities to take place as planned. The government has been taking proactive steps to…
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Tourism minister tells the public “not to worry” about Omicron
Don’t worry… Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister says everything is under control (as the government always says) and Omicron has not been detected in the country. Minister Phiphat Ratchakit Prakarn says the Public Health Ministry is keeping track of all tourists from high-risk countries, including the 330 tourists from eight African countries with a high risk of Omicron variant. The…
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Thai Immigration launches online 90 day report system
A new online system for 90-day checks with immigration has been launched by Thailand’s Immigration Bureau. Online 90-day reporting has been glitchy in the past… So let us know how it worked for you. A confirmation could come through hours after applying. And be sure to check the spam folder. You can register at https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/register/add Foreigners who are permitted to…
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Pilot seriously injured in F-5 fighter jet crash in Lop Buri
Warning: Some may find the photos below disturbing. An F-5 fighter jet crashed during training in the Chai Badan area of Central Thailand’s Lop Buri province today morning, critically injuring the pilot. The fighter jet, from Wing 21, crashed onto a training field in Chai Badan district at 11am, according to Air Force spokesperson AVM Prapas Sornchaidee. The pilot ejected…
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Government to set up committee to consider opening casinos in Thailand
Thailand could be legalising casinos in the near future. The House of Representatives recently voted in favour of setting up a 60-seat extraordinary committee to consider the opening of casinos, which are still illegal in Thailand. Opening the venues for gambling is expected to draw in more income from foreign tourists. 310 MPs voted in favour while 9 were against…
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Wildlife officials search for Bengal tiger roaming across three provinces
A Bengal tiger has reportedly been roaming across three provinces and wildlife officials have been searching for the wildcat, which was last seen leaving a forest in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani. The tiger, named “Vijit,” is wearing a tracking collar and the signal emitted from the collar showed the big cat in a eucalyptus plantation…
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CCSA criticises newspaper’s ‘hunt for Africans’ story, clarifies efforts to track travellers
Yesterday’s top headline on the frontpage of the Bangkok Post, “Govt hunts for African visitors,” which contact those who are considered at risk of the Omicron variant, drew criticism from readers as well as the government’s Covid-19 task force. The CCSA made a statement today clarifying its efforts to contact travellers who entered Thailand within the past two weeks from…
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Junior police officer facing attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a Bangkok bus
A junior police officer is facing attempted murder charges after he fired a gun at a passenger bus in Bangkok’s Bang Chan district on Tuesday. A video of the incident shared on social media shows a motorcyclist, cutting off the bus, forcing it to stop. He walked up to the bus driver and then went back to his motorcycle where…
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Police arrest man for allegedly attacking and robbing a Russian woman in Pattaya
A 42 year old man was arrested today for allegedly beating and robbing a Russian tourist in Pattaya six months ago, Khaosod English reports. The 56 year old woman was taking photos in South Pattaya when the man allegedly attacked her, stealing her phone and US$2,000 in cash. The victim’s face was left with bruises from the assault. The man,…
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Thursday Covid Update: 4,971 new cases; provincial totals
33 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,847 with 20,753 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 4,971 new Covid-19 cases and 5,402 recoveries. There are now 73,726 people in Thailand being…
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Bangkok to organise New Year’s festival followed by Buddhist chanting ceremony
Bangkok city officials are planning New Year’s events, but under Covid-19 measures. A New Year’s festival is planned for December 31 and a Buddhist chanting ceremony is planned for the following day, according to the deputy permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The spokesperson says the events will be under the universal Covid-19 measures. The two-day event will be…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha vows to prevent Omicron from reaching Thai soil
Thailand’s prime minister has urged the public not to panic, but to remain vigilant against the new Omicron virus, according to government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana yesterday. He added that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha also encouraged people to get fully vaccinated in order to boost group immunity and ensure everyone’s safety, as adequate vaccines are now available for all Thais. As foreign…
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Cost of PCR tests reduced by 200 baht at labs run by Department of Medical Sciences
The Department of Medical Sciences is cutting the cost of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests by 200 baht. However, the reduction only applies to laboratories under the DMS. The price of PCR test kits remains unchanged. According to a Nation Thailand report, the fee is being reduced from 1,300 baht to 1,000 baht, in a bid to encourage more…
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Bangkok is 4th best place to live in Southeast Asia, according to expat survey
Bangkok has come in at number 4 in a survey ranking the best places to live in Southeast Asia. And the Thai capital has come in at number 11 out of 57 cities in the global rankings. This is a big jump on last year’s result, when it was ranked at number 30 out of 66 cities. According to a…
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