Thailand News
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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Samut Prakan men arrested for counterfeit bills
Check your wallet. Fake 500 baht and 100 baht bills are being passed around. Samut Prakan police just arrested 2 brothers for possession of counterfeit banknotes after receiving numerous complaints over the past month. Apparently, the counterfeit money has been used to buy various merchandise. 49 year old Boonmee Kerddee and his brother 39 year old Veerawat were arrested in…
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Songkhla shootout, protester warnings | Thailand News Today | September 14
Today’s return of Thailand news Today with Tim Newton… Parliament to host a ‘safe zone’ forum for students’ demands on September 22 A parliamentary committee is responding to the demands from student and opposition protesters, who are calling for reform of the government, a new constitution, and even reform of the Thai Monarchy – the latter previously considered a ‘no…
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Bankruptcy Court approves Thai Airways debt restructuring plan
The Central Bankruptcy Court approved Thai Airways International’s debt restructuring plan. An official says the approval is just a “tiny step” in the process estimated to take years. With the approval, the international airline company can now start discussions with debt holders. The 60 year company is reportedly facing its biggest challenge: bankruptcy during a global pandemic with international travel…
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Body found floating by Khanom fishing pier
A man’s body was found floating by a Khanom fishing pier in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat today. Police say the man looked to be about 25 to 30 years old. They say the man was wearing pants, a black T-shirt and shoes. No identification was on the man and police are investigating. No wounds were reported on the…
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Global economics report expects Bangkok to have the highest tourist drop
International travel restrictions have crippled Thailand’s tourism industry so much that Bangkok might end up with the highest loss of tourists out of all the major cities in the world. A report from the global forecasting company Oxford Economics predicts Bangkok will lose about 14.5 million incoming foreign tourists by the end of the year. Cities across the world are…
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Silom Road tops as the most expensive area to buy land in Bangkok
Silom Road, Bangkok’s nightlife district, is the most expensive area to buy land in Bangkok, followed by Phloen Chit Road, according to data the Treasury Department gathered from 2016-2019. The pandemic may have fluctuated the prices, but no data on land value for 2020 has been reported by the department. They also say only asking prices were recorded, so it’s…
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Thailand’s prisons to release thousands monitored with ankle bracelet
Thailand’s prisons are overcrowded. To fix the problem, they’re sending some of the inmates home and monitoring them with ankle bracelets. Just 39 prisoners have been given the electric monitoring, or EM, ankle bracelets, but the Justice Minister says he expects the bracelets to be used on thousands of convicted criminals to free up space in the prisons. 2 former…
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How BTS became the biggest band in the world
Even if you’d been living under a rock you’ve probably heard someone mention the band BTS. The South Korean group has risen up through the ranks of K-Pop – a Korean musical blood sport – since 2013. From very humble beginnings indeed, they’ve risen from pimply youngsters with a dream into a 7-member powerhouse in the world’s pop industry. How…
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Tourists flock to Sichon temple, worship a spirit known for granting wishes
Thai tourists destinations have gone quiet due to the pandemic, but one southern Thailand temple is thriving. Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Wat Chedi is known for granting wishes, and apparently many come true (although people don’t tend to talk about the ones that don’t come true). It is packed with visitors not just on the weekends, but every day. Visitors worship Ai Khai, the…
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“Thai government refuses to acknowledge the red light economy”
OPINION Thanks to WB for sending us this response to earlier article. The views expressed by WB do not represent The Thaiger, its management or staff. Prostitution is not illegal in Thailand, although many activities associated with it are (brothels, pimping, causing a public nuisance, etc.). Nevertheless, it was estimated to be worth US$6.4 billion a year in revenue (2015),…
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Thai schools look to recruit 20,000 English and Chinese language teachers
Thailand’s Education Minister has announced plans to recruit up to 10,000 native English-speaking teachers. Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan says the ministry wants improve Thai students’ English-language proficiency “as soon as the situation is safe to do so”. He also noted that the Ministry also wanted to source up to 10,000 Chinese teachers as well. He noted that there are already 7,000 foreign…
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Thai Kra Canal – numbers don’t stack up
OPINION The possibility of Thailand being sliced into 2, with a canal running east to west through the middle of the Isthmus of Kra (the Thai section of the Malay Peninsula), is back on the table. There’s a lot of heated response from readers, for and against the plans. Is there an economic model to support the new canal? How…
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3 to 4 years for tourism revenue to recover, research centre says
It’s going to take years for Thailand’s tourism revenue to recover. A lack of international tourists caused income to drastically drop and it’s going to be at least 3 to 4 years until revenue is back to normal, according to the Krungthai COMPASS Research Centre. Many tourism companies are also changing their marketing approach to stay in business, focusing on a…
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Thai drinkers fight back against online booze ban
The recent confirmation from the government that online sales of alcohol are to be banned is causing outrage among some booze lovers. With officials seemingly obsessed with the perceived evils of alcohol, Thailand already has a ban on the sale of booze before 11am, between 2 – 5pm, and after midnight. It is also illegal to brew your own beer…
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15 luxury cars destroyed in Bangkok garage fire
A fire that broke out overnight in a Bangkok garage has destroyed 15 luxury vehicles, with total damage estimated at around 40 million baht. The garage is located in the Saphan Sung district of the capital, around 13 kilometres from Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Bangkok Post reports that the fire started at around midnight at the SY Auto Technic garage. It…
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Police bust factories: Used medical gloves resold and painkillers sold as herbal medicine
Police busted 2 factories. The first allegedly produced medicine illegally, selling medicines containing steroids and painkillers as “herbal medicine.” The other was allegedly repackaging used medical gloves, boxing them up and making them look good as new. In the herbal medicine bust, police seized 400,000 packages of what police say is “fake” herbal medicine under the brand name “Jindamanee.” Instead…
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22% rise in suicide cases indicates links with Thai economy and lockdowns
An apparent rise in Thailand’s suicide rate, related to the country’s current business conditions, restrictions and ongoing world pandemic, is concerning health officials. The data was announced yesterday, to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, The Mental Health Department has released a report indicating 2,551 people had killed themselves from January to the end of July, 2020. That is up a…
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Thammasat University officials ban September 19 protest
Thammasat University, once a bastion of democratic voices and student expression, has refused permission for an anti-government protest, set to take place on its Tha Phra Chan campus in Bangkok, on September 19. University officials say they are banning the gathering as organisers have “failed to follow the institution’s guidelines” on hosting political events on campus. Officials are referring to…
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Suicides spike during pandemic, police ask social media influencers for help
Suicides are on the rise in Thailand and some say stress brought on by the coronavirus pandemic contributed to the spike in self inflicted deaths. To help prevent the future suicides, mental health officials are asking social media influencers for help. Over a 6 month span, suicides have spiked by about 20%. 2,551 suicide cases were reported in the first…
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Teen arrested for allegedly killing school security guard in Pathum Thani
A teenager at a Pathum Thani school allegedly has killed the duty security guard after an argument about smoking marijuana on the school’s grounds. The body of 36 year old Parinya Unsab was found near a teacher’s house. Police say the man’s skull was fractured. Parinya had called the police early in the morning saying there were teenagers causing a…
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“Phuket Model” to be re-named, expanded to all of Thailand
A much-talked-about plan to reopen Phuket to international tourists is set for a rebrand and expansion. The plan, formerly known as the “Phuket Model”, is proposed to be re-named “Special Tourist Visa”, and will now cover all of Thailand. But, in its latest incarnation, the model will only allow tourists from “approved countries” to be involved. Apparently, the Phuket plan…
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Former mayor gets 2 months detention for indecent act on journalist
The former mayor who ordered a journalist to strip down to his underwear is now facing 2 months in detention rather than a 2 month prison sentence. The Supreme Court recently commuted his sentence and the former politician Premsak Piayura is requesting a venue for his detention. In 2016, a rumour spread saying that Premsak, a former mayor of Ban…
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Tourism authority says Thailand must prepare for virus cases as part of re-opening
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the country must re-open its borders by the last quarter of the year and prepare to manage new Covid-19 cases as a result. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn says the impact of new cases can be contained with careful risk management. The reality of the situation is now sinking in as Thai officials are now…
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Source says 3,000 baht handout coming soon, PM says it’s a rumour
Thais are getting some extra cash … Well, maybe. Reports say a 3,000 baht cash handout scheme is in the works to help revive the economy after the pandemic, but PM Prayut Chan-o-cha told the press it’s just a rumour, saying the Thai government “does not plan cash handouts of another 3,000 baht to Thais.” An anonymous source from the…
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Thailand is the fourth most searched-for destination for your next holiday
Since early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has stopped us from taking our holidays, or doing much travelling at all. But as travel restrictions ease, which destinations are coming out on top for our post-lockdown holidays? Official-esta.com has dusted off the calculator and checked the Google Search Volume data for the search terms “Flights to X” and “Holidays in X” to…
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One new Covid-19 case for Thailand today, a returnee from Japan
According to the CCSA, there is one new Covid-19 case in Thailand today. The man, currently in state quarantine, is a 38 year old Japanese film producer who travelled to Thailand from Japan on September 4. He has been serving his quarantine in an alternative state quarantine hotel in Bangkok. He tested positive for the novel coronavirus on September 7, but…
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Rumours of another coup are false, PM says
Coup? What coup? Rumours have been floating around about an impending coup d’etat by the army. When asked about a possible coup, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha dismissed it, calling the rumour nonsense and groundless. He then abruptly called the press meeting to an end. Some have been saying the army is preparing for the coup by moving its forces and equipment.…
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No more beer and wine delivery, Thailand to ban online alcohol sales
There’s going to be a new ban on alcohol sales, but apparently just on so-called “electronic channels.” (We think this means purchasing through social media outlets and websites) For those who order craft beer that can’t be found at local stores, you might be out of luck. An announcement on the Royal Gazette says no more online alcohol sales. The…
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Holiday weekend road death toll: 59
Road deaths surged during the holiday weekend. 59 people were killed in road incidents and 365 people were injured, according to the Transport Ministry. From last Thursday to Monday, a total of 405 road incidents were reported across Thailand. 116 of the incidents involved motorcycles and 31 out of the 59 deaths involved motorcycles. Many of the crashes and collisions were…
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Boy dies after 100 squat punishment, school apologises to the family
A student died sometime after being forced to do jump squats as punishment for not doing his homework. The school has ‘apologised’ to the family and said they take responsibility for the death. The 13 year old boy was sick for about a week and was even checked in to the hospital before going back to school last Thursday, according…
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