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.
-
Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
-
PM confident economy will rebound when businesses reopen
Or… “what goes down, must go up”. “If workplaces reopen, there will be employment and salaries… If factories reopen and employ people, rehabilitation will start.” Responding to reporters yesterday, the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed confidence the economy will improve once businesses reopen and people are employed again, and when tourism resumes, with measures in place to give visitors confidence…
-
Thailand News Today – Friday May 8
8 new Covid-19 case, total now 3,000, no new deaths 8 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been announced at this morning’s daily press briefing in Bangkok, maintaining the recent trend of single-digit daily increases. The new cases take Thailand’s total to 3,000 since the beginning of the outbreak. No new deaths were reported, leaving the tally at 55. All…
-
7-Eleven, Family Mart cash in on the pandemic
While some people are losing their jobs as a result of the pandemic, Thailand’s billionaires are getting richer. The owners of 7-Eleven and Family Mart are just two of them. The convenience store franchises are classified as essential services and have stayed busy, while some of the smaller mom and pop shops were forced to close due to the coronavirus outbreak.…
-
Grocery giant Makro to add over 700 jobs
At last a snippet of good economic news. Thai big-box grocery giant Makro has announced plans to hire more than 700 employees to boost its delivery service and create jobs after the Covid-19 outbreak passes. Siam Makro’s CEO says a new company priority is to help people who’ve lost their jobs due to the Emergency Decree and subsequent lockdown measures…
-
Thai Health Minister says China, South Korea no longer virus hotspots
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has provisionally approved a suggestion from Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul that China and South Korea be removed from the list of Covid-19 “hotspots”. Nation Thailand reports that the number of confirmed cases in each country has now dropped into single digits and attempts are being made to re-establish economic and social ties between Thailand and the two…
-
Business recovery in the Covid-19 era
As some countries begin to tentatively look to reboot their economies in a Covid-19 world, what does the future hold for business? Nation Thailand reports today on an extensive Bank of Thailand survey that examined the impact of the pandemic on four business sectors and what might happen next. Things are looking a bit brighter for the manufacturing and retail…
-
May 17 target for shopping centres to re-open
The rumours have been flying since this week’s cabinet meeting about the next raft of re-openings as Thailand’s economy starts to plod back into gear. Now, after a meeting yesterday of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, there’s general consensus that shopping centres and retail stores will be able to re-open on Sunday, May 17. Of course the caveat is…
-
Thailand News Today – Thursday, May 7
Issan restaurant owner allegedly shoots wife, stepson, nephew A restaurant owner in Issan’s northeastern Maha Sarakham province has surrendered to police after allegedly shooting dead his wife and stepson. Police arrived at the scene to find the alleged shooter, a 31 year old, had locked himself inside. He reportedly fired a warning shot to discourage officials against getting too close.…
-
Repatriation flight from Germany arrives in Bangkok
Last night 110 Thai people, living abroad and having been affected by the Covid-19 travel restrictions and flight bans, arrived from Frankfurt, Germany on a specially-chartered Lufthansa flight. The flight number LH772 arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport where all the passengers passed initial screening with no high fevers detected and medical paperwork intact. Thai citizens, who weren’t in Frankfurt, had to make…
-
Issuing of driving licences suspended during emergency decree
The Department of Land Transport has declared a moratorium on the issuing of new driving licences until the emergency decree ends (currently scheduled to end on May 31). Thai Residents reports that DLT Director General Jirut Wisarnjit says the recent extension to the emergency decree means services will not re-open from May 7 as planned. “The decision has been taken…
-
Prayut warns Thai Airways that the latest government bailout will be the last
The Thai PM has issued a stern warning to the executives of Thai Airways that the latest bailout is the last from the government. Last week the Finance Ministry agreed to guarantee a 54 billion baht bailout loan for the ailing airline and a further 80 billion baht recovery loan – both massive amounts of money being given to an…
-
Visakha Bucha Day, Buddhist holiday – alcohol ban today
Today is a public holiday in Thailand to mark Visakha Bucha Day, the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating three defining events in the life of the Lord Buddha; his birth, attaining enlightenment at 35 years old, and then his death 45 years later, which all occurred on the full-moon day of the sixth lunar month. Visakha Bucha…
-
Thailand News Today – Monday, May 4
Coronation Day in Thailand Today is the first anniversary since HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne and became the tenth king of the Chakri dynasty. Last year’s ceremonies were held between May 2 – 4 with the actual coronation of the new King happening on the third day. One thing Thailand does particularly well is grand ceremony and HM’s…
-
Two women in Rayong fined 15 million baht each for ciggie smuggling
A Thai ‘auntie’ and her daughter from Rayong have been fined 15 million baht for smuggling 37 crates of cigarettes, valued around 200,000 baht, from Cambodia. 53 year old Pisamai and 34 years old Somradee tried to smuggle nearly 19,000 packets of cigarettes over the border. Investigators raided their apartment in Muang Rayong. They were caught red handed loading the cases…
-
New plans for managing Thailand’s 2020 public debt
The Thai Cabinet has approved new plans for managing the fiscal 2020 public debt that was previously proposed by the Ministry of Finance. Deputy Government spokesperson Traisulee Traisaranakul announced that… “according to the new plans, the amount of ‘new’ debt has been adjusted up to 1.497 trillion baht from 894.005 billion baht.” “The plan for the management of ‘existing’ debt has…
-
Thai baht up 3% against USD over past month
Potential tourists and expats shipping in money from overseas were hoping the Thai baht would continue to fall against the US dollar. But they’d be surprised that the baht has rebounded in April against the greenback – about 3% in value. But Thailand’s Central Bank is warning that the recent strengthening of the baht against the USD may “not be sustainable”.…
-
Former union leader calls for total overhaul at Thai Airways
The former president of the Thai Airways union is calling for a complete revamp of the airline, including the ousting of all existing board members. The call follows years of crippling losses, bailouts and promises of a corporate cleanout. The Bangkok Post reports that Chamsri Sukchotrat made the call in a Facebook post, addressing PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in his role…
-
Thailand News Today – Thursday, April 30
Thailand Covid-19 update: 7 new cases, no new deaths The CSSA has announced this morning that Thailand had only 7 new cases of the Covid-19 nationwide in the previous 24 hours. 3 of the new cases were imported, meaning that they came from Thai nationals returning to the country from overseas. All were immediately quarantined. Only 4 cases came from…
-
Rare pink dolphins spotted off Koh Phangan – VIDEO
Pink dolphins are extremely rare, mainly found in only a few spots in the world, including parts of China, Hong Kong waters and sections of the Amazon river. So it was a surprise for fishermen in the Gulf of Thailand to have a rare encounter with pink dolphins, which scientists say are becoming bolder in the absence of tourists The…
-
2 Aussies win $7,500 each in racial discrimination suit
After being turned away from a Thai restaurant in Sydney’s central business district, 2 caucasian Australian men have been awarded A$7,500 each for racial discrimination. 32 year old Luke Masters, and Wayne Clothier aged 33, were awarded the payout today after they were prevented from entering Mr B’s Hotel on Pitt Street in Sydney’s CBD in September 2017. A security…
-
Thai Airways gets another lifeline from the government
Thai Airways is finally getting a reprieve, after years of financial woes and corporate drama. The struggling national carrier is getting a lifeline in the form of a bailout loan. Finance permanent secretary Prasong Poontaneat made the announcement yesterday, after a meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The State Enterprise Policy Committee meeting approved “in principle” the proposal to rehabilitate…
-
This year’s wet season expected to be later, drier
Thailand’s annual rainy season usually arrives sometime around Songkran, the Thai New Year festival, on April 13 each year. But the Thai Meteorological Department is warning that the start of heavy rains are unlikely to start around the country until around the third week in May. They also forecast rainfall this year to be approximately 5% lower than average, adding…
-
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, April 29
Covid-19 update (Wednesday) 9 new cases, 0 new deaths Health officials at this morning’s national daily briefing announced 9 new Covid-19 cases in Thailand today, bringing the total to 2,957. No new deaths were reported and the tally remains at 54 since the beginning of the outbreak in January. 2,665 people have recovered and been discharged, making the recovery rate…
-
Thai Health Minister pushes ahead with ban on harmful pesticides
Taking a break from handing out face masks and berating “dirty farang”, Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed yesterday that the proposed ban on three hazardous pesticides will go ahead as scheduled on June 1. According to a Nation Thailand report, Minister Anutin refused to entertain proposals from both the Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit and the Chairman of the…
-
Unsettled weather across Thailand
Today’s forecast from the Thailand Meteorological Department says that “a cell covers the lower North and the upper Central creating hot weather conditions in upper Thailand”. “A high pressure system covers Laos, Vietnam and the South China Sea, bringing the southerly and southeasterly winds to the upper country. Isolated thundershowers are likely in the areas with gusty winds in the…
-
Thailand News Today – Tuesday, April 28
Cabinet disagrees with the cancellation of Thai public holidays in May Yesterday, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha chaired a meeting about the postponement of Thai holidays in May. There were four public holidays coming up next month. The matter was going to be presented to today’s cabinet meeting. The four holidays are… Friday, May 1, Labour Day Monday May 4, Coronation Day…
-
Cable and satellite provider True Visions faces backlash over “censorship officer”
Satellite and cable TV provider True Visions is in hot water after posting an advert seeking an “international news censor” on the biggest online jobs board in Thailand. The ad, which appeared on the JobsDB site, said the right candidate would be required to scrutinise 17 foreign news channels and report any “inappropriate” content to supervisors. A report in Coconuts…
-
Thai Embassy in Japan advises citizens to register for repatriation flights
The Thai Embassy in Tokyo is advising citizens who wish to return home to register for two repatriation flights in May. Thai PBS World reports that with the ban on international flights extended until the end of May, the embassy is laying on two special flights for citizens who wish to return to Thailand. Posting on its Facebook page, the embassy…
-
Thailand News Today – Monday, April 27
Recommendation for the Emergency Decree to be extended for another month Thailand’s Emergency Decree is now very likely to be extended for another month after it expires this Thursday. The emergency decree gives the Thai PM sweeping powers and is provided for in the Thai Constitution for situations like this. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today decided to extend the…
-
Thailand loses US free trade benefits worth billions of baht
Thailand loses duty free access for 42.2 billion baht in exports to the US market from today, 6 months after Washington warned it would pull back on trade privileges unless the kingdom committed to labour rights reforms. Once trade preferences for Thai products are removed they are subject to tax of between 4% and 5%, making them more expensive in…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.