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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  • Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Five die in Sukhothai car smash

    Five die in Sukhothai car smash

    A man has died, along with his boyfriend, parents and aunt after his car crashed into a roadside tree in Sukhothai, central Thailand. Si Satchanalai police were alerted a few minutes after midnight on Saturday morning that the accident happened on the Si Satchanalai-Uttaradit road in Ban Huay Sak village in Tambon Pa Ngiew. 25 year old Saranyu Thanomjit was…

  • Influx of Indian tourists expected over the next decade

    Influx of Indian tourists expected over the next decade

    PHOTO: LookEast Magazine Tourism from India will increase markedly over the next ten years. This prediction from the head of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Wichit Prakorpkoson. By 2028 he says he expects 10 million Indian visitors each year. About Chinese tourism, the ATTA chief say he expected the numbers to slow from previous trends but there will still be 20…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Saturday

    Thaiger Radio News – Saturday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…

  • Thais need to have more babies to reverse declining population

    Thais need to have more babies to reverse declining population

    A government advisory body is urging the Government to come up with measures to encourage Thais to have more babies. The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has urged the government to implement additional measures to improve the birth rate in Thailand, following a recent study detailing the impact of a shrinking population. Thailand, with the fertility rate of…

  • Government to give cash handouts to oil palm planters

    Government to give cash handouts to oil palm planters

    The National Oil Palm Committee, led by Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, plans to give away 1,500 baht per rai cash handout to 150,000 oil palm planters in a massive subsidy for their production cost. The subsidies arrive with almost perfect timing for the ruling NCPO in the lead up to the national election in February and the rise of the…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Friday

    Thaiger Radio News – Friday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Thai Khon now listed with UNESCO as ‘intangible heritage of humanity’

    Thai Khon now listed with UNESCO as ‘intangible heritage of humanity’

    Thai khon drama, or the ‘masked dance’ drama, is now listed as an ‘intangible heritage of humanity’ by UNESSCO. On the ceremony yesterday, UNESCO also listed Cambodia’s khon drama as an intangible heritage of humanity. Reacting to UNESCO’s decision, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha posted in his Facebook page that he was pleased with the decision and he credited this achievement…

  • Internal disputes in the Future Forward camp

    Internal disputes in the Future Forward camp

    PHOTO: The Future Forward Party secretary general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul campaigns in Rayong province earlier this week – Future Forward Party The new Future Forward Party has removed its youth wing leaders from duties and is accusing them of misusing party funds. The allegations are being denied by one of the expelled members. Khaosod English is reporting that a party spokeswoman…

  • Dam levels low in some regions – Dry season

    Dam levels low in some regions – Dry season

    PHOTO: Srinagarind Dam, Kanchanaburi The Royal Irrigation Department says there be enough water for domestic consumption this dry season. But they acknowledge that water reserves in many dams around the country are running low. The RID director-general, Thongplew Kongjun, is assuring the public that the country will have enough water for domestic consumption and businesses during this dry season. But…

  • Bangkok man killed when pickup hits wild elephant

    Bangkok man killed when pickup hits wild elephant

    A Bangkok driver has been killed after his pickup truck appears to have hit a wild elephant on an unlit road in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district. The driver has been identified as 58 year old Nakharin Boonchai. Officials believe the pickup hit a large elephant as the road was dark and the driver could not see the large mammal. His…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Arrivals up 20% – visa fee waiver

    Arrivals up 20% – visa fee waiver

    The Tourism and Sports Ministry is sprouting anecdotal evidence that tourist arrivals are up a massive 20% for the second half of November. This follows the hastily prepared visa-on-arrival fee waivers for 21 countries, introduced on November 15 and intended to run through to January 13 next year. New visitors from India are part of the bounce back in tourist…

  • Buffalo smiles end up in tears

    Buffalo smiles end up in tears

    by Thanapol Saengthong and Kornkamon Aksorndech Surat Paewkate, the 34 year old Chai Nat farmer who famously made headlines for his unusual friendship with a five year old buffalo called Thong Kham, has been separated from his four-legged best mate yesterday when police took the animal away over allegations that Surat had used this “friendship” to get money from others. Chai…

  • Thai Airways – we need more planes

    Thai Airways – we need more planes

    Thai Airways says it’s has lost 10 percent of its market share over the past three years due to a shortfall in available planes. It’s new business plan states that, if the national carrier wants to restore market share it needs at least 125 aircraft, according to Thai Airways president Sumeth Damrongchaitham. The national airline has submitted its business plan…

  • December 7 meeting will clarify lifting of political restrictions

    December 7 meeting will clarify lifting of political restrictions

    PHOTO: Deputy PM, Wissanu Kreangam A meeting is scheduled for December 7 to clarify election dates and when political restrictions are likely to be lifted. The meeting will be between political parties ramping up for next year’s poll and the so-called “Five Rivers”, which includes the NCPO, the Cabinet, the National Legislative Assembly, the Constitution Drafting Committee and the Election Commission. Thai…

  • Tesco Lotus gets rid of single-use plastic bags. For one day.

    Tesco Lotus gets rid of single-use plastic bags. For one day.

    Tesco Lotus had netizens talking yesterday after the retail giant released plans to abolish plastic bags for shoppers. Except that it was a mistake. It will only be for one day. Khaosod English jumped onto the Tesco media release earlier yesterday with the news that Tesco Lotus were jumping on the no-plastic bandwagon with a major commitment to get rid…

  • Prosecutor confident of Premchai poaching case conviction

    Prosecutor confident of Premchai poaching case conviction

    by Pratch Rujivanarom The prosecutors are confident that alleged wildlife poacher, Premchai Karnasuta and his alleged accomplices, will be found guilty in the black panther poaching case. The Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court begins examining the evidence and witnesses today after weeks of delays. The attorney for the Office of the Public Prosecution Region 7 says that the Thong Pha…

  • DENGUE: Mosquito 1 – Garry 0

    DENGUE: Mosquito 1 – Garry 0

    ‘Waking The Thaiger’ host Garry Holden was back on air this morning on The Thaiger 102.75 FM after two weeks of Dengue hell. He has some useful warnings.

  • Thai government being urged to legalise e-cigarettes and vaping

    Thai government being urged to legalise e-cigarettes and vaping

    by Jintana Panyaarvudh Allowing smoke-free products seen as more effective in discouraging tobacco smokers than the introduction of plain packaging for cigarette packets. The Nation reports that a network of e-cigarette users and importers is suggesting that lifting the ban on smoke-free products and issuing appropriate regulations would be a more-effective measure to discourage people from smoking rather than selling…

  • Police searching for owner of weapons hidden in bushes

    Police searching for owner of weapons hidden in bushes

    Police are investigating three M4A Carbine assault rifles along with 964 bullets that were discovered over the weekend inside large PVC pipes hidden in thick bushes. Police found the weapons in a tapioca plantation in Chacheongsao province on Saturday. Police suspect that the weapons found in Panom Sarakham district had been hidden recently, as the guns with serial numbers M320461,…

  • How Thailand became a casualty in the US-China trade war

    How Thailand became a casualty in the US-China trade war

    from South China Morning Post and AFP About one third of all the rubber in the world comes from Thai forests, many in the southern regions. But a sudden drop in Chinese demand has compounded a longer term global oversupply crisis to push prices off a cliff. Countries like Vietnam are benefiting as manufacturers migrate from China to avoid punishing tariffs…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Thaiger Radio News – Friday

    Thaiger Radio News – Friday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere…  

  • Teenagers lighting up more than their krathongs

    Teenagers lighting up more than their krathongs

    For the teenagers who have more on their mind than floating a Krathong tonight… Teenagers are being warned not to engage in inappropriate sexual behaviour or unsafe sex during the Loy Krathong Festival. The Public Health Ministry’s Department of Health deputy chief Dr Bancha Khakhong says that young people usually release flowery floats into rivers and water sources…

  • Test driving Google Translate ทดสอบไดรฟ์ GOOGLE TRANSLATE

    Test driving Google Translate ทดสอบไดรฟ์ GOOGLE TRANSLATE

  • STOP PRESS: Thai woman rips off Thai man

    STOP PRESS: Thai woman rips off Thai man

    PHOTO MONTAGE: Thai Rath Thai Rath is reporting that a Thai man has learned the hard way; that not every Thai woman on dating apps is a beautiful girl who wants to get to know you. The man says that the woman he met was very pretty and spoke so well. Within two days the couple were chatting on LINE chat,…

  • Fast-lane online visa system launched at Thai airports

    Fast-lane online visa system launched at Thai airports

    The Immigration Bureau acting commissioner Pol Maj-General Surachate Hakparn has officially launched the e-Visa on Arrival system today that is expected to cut visa processing times to as little as one minute and reverse the downward trend of Chinese tourist visitation. Surachate launched the new system which been trialled at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports since November 15. The launch…

  • Confusion reigns over ‘proof of earnings’ letters for Retirement Visa

    Confusion reigns over ‘proof of earnings’ letters for Retirement Visa

    A letter crossed the desk of The Thaiger today. Not the first on this topic. Seems to be a growing chorus of concerned people on the ‘Retirement Visa’. We share this person’s despair and worries about the future and this vexatious problem. Name withheld due to privacy… “My visa renewal date is February 7. I inquired at the immigration office…