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 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
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...
-
Lawyer and shaman duo demand police investigate Kanchanaburi temple rehab that allegedly tortured patients
Following yesterday’s news that a temple in Kanchanaburi, a western Thai province, that served as drug rehab and was allegedly abusing patients, including feeding them usually only once a day, forcing them to live in squalid conditions and torturing them; a lawyer and a shaman have requested the Crime Suppression Division police investigate and prosecute those responsible for the alleged…
-
Amended communicable disease law includes powers to retain curfew, order lockdowns
As the government prepares to debate the future of the emergency decree, set to expire next Thursday, a new legal amendment means some of its powers could remain. The Bangkok Post reports that the amended Communicable Disease Act gives officials the power to retain the current curfew and to impose new lockdowns. The government says the law will be used…
-
Thursday Covid Update: 131 deaths and 13,256 new cases
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation reported 13,256 new Covid-19 cases and 131 deaths. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 1,495,750 Covid-19 infections. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,829 recoveries. There are now 128,367 patients being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases,…
-
Ex-cop “Joe Ferrari,” other officers charged with violating discipline policy over suspect’s death
Along with criminal charges for allegedly suffocating a suspect to death in an attempt to extort 2 million baht, the former police station chief in Nakhon Sawan, Thitisan Utthanaphon, and six of his subordinates now face charges for committing disciplinary offenses while on duty. The Police Serious Disciplinary Review Board filed the complaint against the seven officers. According to Nation Thailand,…
-
HOMA is now offering fully-serviced, affordable lifestyle apartments in Phuket Town.
Sponsored Phuket is Thailand’s most iconic tourist destination as it offers stunning beaches and surrounding islands. Thus, it is also known to feature a large expat community as many have decided to make it their home. The island is located among the crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea, where outdoor enthusiasts thrive. Moreover, Phuket offers some amazing shopping malls, world-famous…
-
Thai woman tricked into human trafficking in Dubai brought home safely
A Thai woman who had been tricked into being a sex worker in Dubai, a city on the Persian Gulf Coast of the United Arab Emirates, returned safely to Thailand, today. The woman was able to send a video message through Facebook on Sunday where she pleaded for help. She says she had been deceived by an advertisement looking for…
-
Alleged cable thief busted in Phuket, accomplice possibly still at large
A Phuket man was arrested recently after he allegedly stole telephone and communications cables throughout the island. The man allegedly sold the cables for scrap near his house in Phang Nga. Wichit police and members of the Crime Suppression Region 5 and officials from the TOT company showed up at Chaturong Bhumlamnao’s house to arrest him. The TOT had previously…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 11,252 new cases; provincial totals
141 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 15,753 with 15,659 of those fatalities during the recent wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA reported 11,252 new Covid-19 cases and 13,695 recoveries. There are now 129,071…
-
Post-Covid condition MIS-C afflicted 30 to 40 children, 1 death
A post-Covid-19 condition called MIS-C has affected 30 to 40 Thai children and may have caused the death of one youth. The condition, multiple-system inflammatory syndrome in children, can affect children and teens who had been affected and then recovered from Covid-19. The president of the Royal College of Paediatricians of Thailand explained that the condition is fairly rare but…
-
Manhunt underway for foreigner who allegedly prepared bread using his feet
A manhunt is underway by the Immigration Bureau after a video surfaced of a man, believed to be a foreigner, who allegedly used his feet to prepare bread for packaging. The video was supplied to the IB and they responded that they will search for the suspect. It was not clear what charges the man may face for his foot…
-
Army provides food for the Rawai Sea gypsy community
The Royal Thai Army has set up a food kitchen for the Rawai sea gypsies as the community has been in lockdown since September 15. The lockdown will remain in place until September 28. The Royal Field Kitchen Car has been cooking and handing out food for almost 2 weeks now. They have travelled all over the island to bring…
-
Governor announces restrictions on Phuket Vegetarian Festival
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival will be scaled down and under tight restrictions this year to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The weeklong festival, where some practice self-mutilation to connect with the spirit world, draws tourists from across the country, and the world. The Phuket governor announced that this year’s festival from October 5 to 15 will have restrictions on the…
-
Esports officially recognised as professional sport, new opportunities follow
The Thai professional sports committee has agreed to welcome Esports, also known as electronic sports, into the fold of professional sports in Thailand. The announcement was made official in the Royal Gazette. Esports represents video game-based sports that can be enjoyed alone in a room or with teams. The games include first-person shooter games, such as the assortment of Call…
-
5 provinces may delay reopening until November, Chiang Mai cautious
Despite some local leaders pushing hard and claiming readiness to reopen on October 1, several or all of the 5 provinces scheduled to reopen may be delayed until November 1, with Chiang Mai especially cautious about reopening. The deputy director for communications and marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand pointed out that the reopening plan can only go ahead in provinces…
-
Industry body says Thai government must borrow another 1 trillion baht
The chairman of The Federation of Thai Industries is calling on the government to borrow another 1 trillion baht to kick-start the economy in 2022. Supant Mongkolsuthree says the extra funds are desperately needed to boost an economy devastated by the fallout from the pandemic. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says the government’s borrowing of 500 billion baht…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 141 deaths and 11,252 new cases
Today, 11,252 new Covid-19 cases and 141 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April, in the most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, 1,482,494 people have tested positive for Covid-19. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 13,695 recoveries. There are now 129,071 people being treated for Covid-19.…
-
Communicable disease law may be amended to replace emergency decree
Thailand’s Communicable Disease law is likely to replace the emergency decree from the end of September, after Cabinet approved a draft amendment to the 2015 Act. The emergency decree was enacted in March 2020 and granted the government sweeping powers to control the spread of Covid-19 through the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The decree is due to expire at…
-
Travel data to Thailand for 106 million people unprotected online
106 million visitors to Thailand over the last 10 years were discovered to have had their personal information unsecured online. Comparitech, a cyber security firm that discovered the database, revealed that the data has been unprotected online without any password protection possibly for the last decade. The unprotected data included people’s full names, passport numbers, gender, residency status, date they…
-
Soldier allegedly assaults neighbours following horn honking
A soldier in Nonthaburi, a central Thai province, allegedly assaulted his neighbours at their home because one of the victims had honked his motorbike’s horn to let his wife know he was home. The victims, 39 year old Piamsuk Bunruang and 42 year old Alisa Choksinsombun filed a police report yesterday following the attack. Thai Residents says the soldier punched…
-
Border agencies instructed to look out for gun smuggling along Myanmar border
Thai border agencies have been instructed to be even more vigilant along the border with Myanmar to ensure weapons aren’t smuggled out of the Land of Smiles. Defence spokesman Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantrawanich says the order was handed down from Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon amid recent reports that arms dealers were smuggling military-grade weapons into Myanmar where fighting between the…
-
Officials clarify Korat police van stopped at the beach after collecting murder suspect
Cops in the northeastern Thai province of Nakhon Ratchasima, AKA Korat, recently came under fire, figuratively, for allegedly using an official police van to take a trip to the beach. Police launched a fact-finding committee to investigate after pictures and videos surfaced of the police van arriving at a beach in Phetchaburi, a central Thai province, and people getting out…
-
OnlyFans content creators arrested by Thai police on pornography charges
Two OnlyFans content creators have been arrested by Thai police on pornography charges. The Thai government is warning people who live in Thailand and post sexually explicit content on OnlyFans, they are breaking Thai law and they could face hefty fines, even jail time. OnlyFans is an online subscription service where content creators can make money off of those who…
-
Update: government official that allegedly stole from fund meant for the disabled spent all the money on gambling
In an update to yesterday’s story, Pisal Sukjaitham, the government official who was arrested for allegedly embezzling 13 million baht from a fund meant for the disabled, allegedly confessed, after being interrogated, that he spent all the money he stole on gambling. In another development in the story, INN says that officials are now saying 45 million baht was stolen…
-
Government warns that posting pornographic material is illegal following OnlyFans creator being questioned by police
Fans of posting videos and pictures of themselves naked or having intercourse be wary: The Thai government is warning people who post content on OnlyFans that if they reside in Thailand and release content that could be deemed “obscene” or pornography by Thai law, they could face harsh fines and maybe even spend years in jail if they are found…
-
Tuesday Covid Update: 143 deaths and 10,919 new cases
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 10,919 new Covid-19 cases and 143 coronavirus-related deaths. Since April 1, in Thailand’s most severe wave of the virus, 1,471,242 people have tested positive for Covid-19. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 11,694 recoveries. There are now 131,655 people currently receiving treatment for the coronavirus. Out of…
-
Party at luxury villa in Phuket raided, homeowner allegedly assaults police officer
Over the weekend, a party at a luxury villa in Phuket was raided and 19 people were arrested. One officer was allegedly assaulted in the course of the raid. The house was raided in the early morning hours in the Rawai sub-district. Police arrived at the villa around 1am after being tipped off that an illegal gathering was taking place.…
-
Pathum Thani man allegedly lights building on fire, sticks around to laugh and smile
Over the weekend, a man in the central Thai province of Pathum Thani allegedly lit a residential building on fire but rather than fleeing the scene after his criminal act, the man allegedly stuck around to laugh and smile at the destruction. The man allegedly started the fire in the early morning hours, around 2am in the Lam Luk Ka…
-
Australian and American on Thai death row released from Thai death row, Supreme Court clears drug trafficking case
An Australian and Thai married couple, and an American man, who were on death row in Bangkok on charges for trafficking crystal methamphetamine have all been released from prison. A report from the Sydney Morning Herald says they had been accused of smuggling half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine for the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in Thailand. After being cleared…
-
Around 20 people arrested at Koh Samui restaurant for drinking alcohol, gambling, playing pool
A mixture of Thais and foreigners were arrested at a restaurant in Koh Samui over the weekend for allegedly drinking alcohol and gambling. They were also allegedly witnessed playing pool. The bar patrons were in violation of Surat Thani’s Provincial Orders that forbids gatherings, notably gatherings that include drinking alcohol. Around 20 customers were busted for drinking alcohol when police…
-
Government seeks to regulate infectious waste disposal charges
Government officials are seeking ways in which to regulate the fees being charged for the disposal of infectious waste. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Internal Trade Department will meet tomorrow with the National Municipal League of Thailand, the Health Department, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and waste disposal companies. The rates for disposing of contaminated waste have jumped significantly…
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.