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 – Wednesday
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February. Yes, probably, maybe…
PHOTO: The Nation The Thai PM has endorsed a statement made by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam over the weekend that February 24 is the first possible date an election can be held. He says there is no justification for a general election to take place before that date. Speaking to reporters after the mobile Cabinet meeting in Chumphorn, the prime minister repeated…
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Woman dies after being bitten by centipede
A 69 year old woman has died after being bitten by a centipede in Chanthaburi, east of Rayong near Trat. Thanet Puapae said at the funeral of his mother, Samnao Puapae, that she had died the day before of complications caused by the centipede bite. Thanet said his mother was selling kanom chin (Thai-style curried noodles) in a local temple…
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50,000 baht fine and 3 months jail for driving without a license – transport law upgrades
Thai Rath are reporting that proposals are in the pipeline for a large scale revamp of fines and jail terms for Thais without driving licenses. They claim that the top police say road behavior needs to change and that they’ve had enough. The transport ministry is recommending the changes for two out of date laws that date back to 1979. This…
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Thaiger Radio News – Monday
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Nearly 15 million methamphetamine tablets seized in Ayutthaya
PHOTO: Bernama WebTV Narcotics police have seized a massive amount of 14.8 million methamphetamine pills hidden in fruit boxes and then stored in a container at a warehouse in the central province of Ayutthaya yesterday (Sunday). Deputy commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said that the huge drug haul was contained in 1,700 fruit boxes each carrying 200,000 meth pills.…
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Thailand’s household debt
Thailand’s household debt has been on the rise over the past decade, up from an average of 116,681 baht in 2007 to 178,994 baht in 2017, but should be measured with commensurate growth in wages, inflation and the country’s GDP. The figures show that Thailand’s debt for farming is around 16% of the total debt bill. 36% is spent on…
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Resorts near Kaeng Krachan dam in Petchaburi temporarily closed
PHOTOS: The Nation More than 30 resorts downstream of the Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi province, are being closed temporarily due to heavy flooding. Thai PBS reports that floodwater levels at the 30 plus resorts range from 1-3 metres making it impossible to carry on with their business. It’s also been reported that spillover water from the spillway has heavily…
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30 more villages in Phayao hit by floods – PM asks Thais to monitor weather
A total of 30 villages in six tambons of Phayao’s Pong district have been whacked by floods yesterday (Saturday). Two other villages in the province’s Chiang Kham district were earlier reported struck by flood damage. Phayao is wedged between Chiang Mai and the Laos border. Pong district chief Sit Wongman said the Khuan and Ngim rivers in his districts had…
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Increased fines, better training – changes to motorbike use in Thailand
In efforts to temper the world’s number one road toll, a specially-formed Thai committee are poised to recommend a series of new measures to curb, specifically, motorcycle deaths by up to 50% per year. Some of these include raising fines for not having a license by as much as 1000%, introducing more bike lanes and targeting accident black spots. Daily…
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Landslides close the Ranong-Chumpon road
If you’ve ever travelled north or south from Phuket to locations to the north, via Ranong, you’ll know about the ‘long and winding road’ from Ranong to Chumpon. A lot of effort is being put into improving the road to make the route a viable alternative route for buses, van and cars and a new tourist drive which can take…
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Students to PM “Cancel the student conduct regulations”
PHOTO: Sa-nguan Khumrungroj/Facebook The Student Union of Thailand is calling on junta leader PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha to cancel the controversial regulations controlling student conduct. Read the report about the ‘moral’ crackdown HERE. Citing a serious infringement on privacy and their rights to political expression, the union, led by activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, submitted a letter asking the Education Ministry…
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Thaiger Radio News – Saturday
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Wet, wet, wet – warnings out for 36 provinces
As tropical storm Bebinca makes landfall in Vietnam today, 36 provinces in the North, North-east, East and South are bring warned to brace for intensive rain and isolated torrential downpours until Sunday – this from the Meteorological Department’s latest weather forecast this morning. “At 4 am this morning, tropical storm Bebinca was 400 kilometres northeast of Hanoi, Vietnam, with a …
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Thaiger Radio News – Friday
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Government goes retro with new ‘moral code’ for students
“…kissing the cheeks of a member of the opposite sex or embracing them is “inappropriate.” The Cabinet has approved the Education Ministry’s new regulations banning students from holding public gatherings, “inappropriate” displays of affection and causing public nuisance. The attempt to control students’ moral and social behaviour is a major step for the Junta, away from building roads and taming…
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Will he or won’t he? Thai PM will announce his intentions soon.
PHOTO: The Nation The election looms but, at this stage, there is no confirmed date and the elephant in the room – will General Prayut turn politician and run for a seat in the new Government – is yet to be addressed. Pressed yesterday he repeated his past ambiguous remarks. The PM yesterday reiterated his promise to clarify his political…
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The moral police want to ban students being together, anytime, anywhere.
Thailand’s ‘fun police’, under directions from the Thai government, are attempting to stop students doing… well, what students and young people do, anytime! Manager Online reports that, not just content with forbidding Thai teenagers enjoying the company of the opposite sex in public and banning wandering about at night, new measures have been proposed by the Ministry of Education (now endorsed…
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Government tackles electronic waste at local level
Electronic waste has become a major environmental problem in Thailand, such that the Government is now getting Tambon chiefs and kanmans to help educate locals and tackle the problem at the community level. At a deserted factory outside Bangkok, skyscrapers made from vast blocks of crushed printers, Xbox components and TVs tower over black rivers of smashed-up computer screens. This is a…
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Mong Tongdee’s hopes of citizenship are looking up
PHOTO: Thai PBS Nine years ago young Mong Thongdee was a smart 12 year old kid living in northern Thailand with a special skill. He was an expert at making, and flying, paper planes. His story, and his battle to go over seas to represent Thailand, made headlines when it was found that he was just one of thousands of…
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Jeans and T-shirts banned for Government House journalists and photographers
PHOTO: A group of Thai journalists and photographers learning how to put on a tie Tatty old jeans and a T-shirt – OK for a night out in Sukhumvit but not good enough when attending pressers with the Thai PM. If you want to attend media conferences or take photos of junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, then you need to…
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
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Renewed demands to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos in Thailand
Despite years of completely conflicting evidence, on both sides, and even the World Health Organisation coming up with its wobbly ‘probably carcinogenic’ finding, glysophate (RoundUp), and two other herbicides and pesticides used in Thailand, are coming under renewed fire. Thai activists are planning to launch lawsuits against local policymakers for their failure to ban three key agri-chemicals in Thailand, following…
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Teen drowns at privately run tourist attraction in Nakhon Nayok
PHOTOS: The Nation A senior Nakhon Nayok provincial official visited a privately run tourist attraction in the district’s Tambon Hin Tang today (Monday) to inspect the scene where a female Thai tourist drowned yesterday after being swept away when playing in a river. Nakhon Nayok is an hour’s drive north east of Bangkok. The official, Khomthat Tantiyamas, said that he would…
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More rain and flood warnings for the north and north-east
The north-east regions have just been mopping up over the last week and now the TMD (Thai Meteorological Department) are warning that there’s more on the way. Residents in the North and North-east are bracing for more rain with isolated torrential downpours on Wednesday and Thursday (August 15-16) that could trigger flash floods in the region. TMD chief Wanchai Sakudomchai,…
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Don’t ride elephants in Thailand – warning to Kiwi tourists
by Alex Baird Elephant rides in Thailand are coming under increasing international pressure as stories of abusive training practices reach mainstream news and travel sites. NewsHub reports that New Zealand travellers are being told to steer clear of elephant riding due to the severe abuse the animals face. Intrepid Travel co-founder Geoff Manchester released shocking footage on Sunday – which happens to…
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Thaiger Radio News – Monday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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UNHCR praises decision to issue Thai citizenship to four Mu Pa boys
Through all the drama and an international team of rescuers to recover them, some good has come from the Mu Pa football team story. Thai PBS reports that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has welcomed the Thai Government’s decision to grant Thai citizenship to three stateless Wild Boars boys and their football coach this week. “By providing…
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Eight Thai dams on ‘floodwatch’
The Mekong River is steadily dropping, but a ‘flood watch’ is on for some central north-eastern dams as well as two dams south of Bangkok. The Office of National Water Resources secretary-general Somkiat Prajumwong says the department is keeping a close watch on eight large-sized dams which are holding water at alarming levels. The eight dams are Nam Phung dam…
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