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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Sponsored How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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Political activist has bail denied over missing pay slip
A bail application from monarchy reform activist Tantawan Tuatulanon has been rejected over a missing pay slip. Thai PBS World reports that the Criminal Court denied a bail application submitted by Move Forward leader, Pita Limjaroenrat. The reason given was that Pita had not submitted his MP’s pay slip with the application. According to the court, Pita needed to provide…
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Thai officials say schools can set their own hair rules, but no harsh punishment
Thailand school haircut drama continues as the Education Ministry has announced yesterday that schools are free to set their own hairstyle rules. While Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong added that schools have been ordered not to impose harsh punishments on students who violate hairstyle rules, the secretary-general of Thailand’s Basic Education Commission reiterated that responsibility over the rules lies with schools.…
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Health officials urge vulnerable groups to get free flu vaccine
People in vulnerable health groups are being urged to take up the free flu vaccine being offered at government clinics. Jakkrit Ngowsiri from the National Health Security Office says his office is working with the Department of Disease Control to offer 4.2 million doses of the flu vaccine to 7 vulnerable groups, between May 1 and August 31. The vaccine…
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Thai airlines say recovery being held up by high fuel prices
The head of commercial operations at Thai Lion Air says high oil prices continue to hinder recovery in the aviation sector. Nuntaporn Komonsittivate says that, while tourism is slowly improving since the easing of entry restrictions, airlines are still struggling. “The airline business has grappled with the pandemic for more than 2 years. Oil prices account for 30% of operational…
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Bangkok University to stream classes by Bill Clinton, Natalie Portman, Gordon Ramsay
Bangkok University is the first in the world to collaborate with MasterClass to provide over 150 streamed online classes by internationally renowned celebrities and experts in various fields. The university hopes the unconventional learning style will inspire students to develop their own skills, foster their creativity, improve their performance and set them up for success. Students will get the chance…
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Thailand’s biggest light festival is headed to Phuket
After it began last week in Krabi, Thailand’s biggest light festival, known as the Aqua Lumina Illumination Festival, is headed towards Phuket. The festival will dazzle the shores of Nai Harn Beach from this coming Friday until May 31. The festival in Phuket will display lit up sculptures and multimedia shows, as well as projection mapping with 3D images with…
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Experienced developer goes bigger and better
Urban dwellers are now looking to escape to spacious villas offering unparalleled luxury as global tourism slowly comes to life and Thailand’s border gradually opens up. Phuket, an island home to Thailand’s most luxurious and beautiful villas, captures many eyeballs. Let’s talk about one of Phuket’s most experienced developers, Trichada’s new project- Trichada Breeze. Just three weeks into the soft…
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Karma in Kalasin: Man steals drain cover then drives his car into the hole
A thief from Kalasin province in northeast Thailand got a taste of his own medicine today after he stole a drain cover and proceeded to drive his pickup truck into the open hole. He was forced to request help from municipality officers, who instantly recognised him as the thief from CCTV footage, detained him and handed him over to the…
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Thailand-made armoured truck delivered to Royal Thai Army for trial use
A snazzy 8×8 VN1 armoured truck made by Thailand’s Defense Technology Institution, or DTI, was delivered to the Royal Thai Army’s Cavalry Centre in Saraburi province in central Thailand yesterday. The truck flaunts a 12.7 millimetre canon, armour to protect military personnel inside from bombs and explosives and a Battlefield Management System, or BMS, intended to increase effectiveness of command…
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Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi driver overcharged on a Thai holy day
A Reddit user has posted about an experience of using a Taxi service in Bangkok… “Bangkok Scam on Vesak Day” (the Visakha Bucha Day Buddhist holiday). The user claimed the driver overcharged him and asked for a toll fee for the highway even though the toll was waived on the day. On Monday the aggrieved passenger posted pictures of the…
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22 year old Australian found dead at hotel in Phuket
An Australian traveller plunged to his death after falling from an 11th storey hotel room at The Royal Paradise Resort Hotel and Spa, in Patong district of Phuket. The body of the lifeless man, identified as Billy James Simmons, was found on the footpath below his room, lying face up. The 22 year old’s body was discovered by the hotel’s…
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Prosecutor in Red Bull heir case kicked out of civil service
Today, Thailand’s public prosecution committee unanimously agreed to kick ex-general attorney Nate Naksuk out of the civil service for choosing not to indict the “Red Bull heir,” who killed a police officer in a hit-and-run incident back in 2012. Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidya – the grandson of billionaire Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya – became a fugitive after speeding through the…
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LINE app popular in Thailand warns users, look out for scams
LINE, a chat app popular in Thailand, is warning users to be on the lookout for scammers who might use SMS and LINE chat to steal personal information. The app said today that recently, some scammers claimed to be company officials, and posted job announcements via SMS and Line chat. LINE said that scammers are also adding people as ‘friends’…
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Risk of dengue fever is higher in rainy season, warns Thai doctor
The risk of contracting dengue fever in Thailand is higher in the rainy season, because pools of water are breeding grounds for mosquitoes, warns Songkhla Provincial Public Health Doctor Songkran Maechum. Monsoon season began last Friday, and intermittent rain is expected to cause a spike in dengue fever cases in Thailand, so be prepared. In Songkhla province in southern Thailand,…
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Grandson makes wax model of deceased grandma “to make grandpa happy”
A young Thai man from Uthai Thani province in northern Thailand made a life-size wax model of his deceased grandma to ensure that his grandpa doesn’t get lonely. Grandpa liked the idea so much that he requested his grandson to make a wax version of himself too, before he dies, so that he can see himself and his wife sitting…
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UPDATE: Phuket’s Narong visits recovering German tourist in hospital
UPDATE As Barbara Lange recovers in Bangkok Hospital Phuket after she went missing for a week, Phuket’s Governor Narong has paid Barbara and her family a visit yesterday. The governor reportedly went to the hospital with other officials, and the group presented Barbara and her family with flowers. The 76 year old woman first went missing from a hotel in…
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Thai aviation industry says international flights at only 20% of pre-pandemic level
The Thai Airlines Association says that in the first 4 months of this year, domestic flights have returned to nearly 100% of their pre-pandemic level. However, international flights have still only reached 20% of pre-Covid-19 levels. TAA president, Putthiphong Prasatthong-Osot, says the lifting of some travel restrictions has led to an increase in passenger numbers, but adds that it will…
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Students ride elephants to school in northern Thailand
Some might take a bus, others ride their bike, some will walk. But some Thai kids arrived at school via elephant this morning in Tak province, northern Thailand. Today was the first day of nationwide on-site classes in Thai schools after almost two years of online, remote studying. To mark the occasion, parents from Baan Ya Por School in Phob…
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Russell Crowe to question Bangkok governor candidates live on TV
On Thursday May 19, Russell Crowe and six other celebrities will ask questions to seven Bangkok governor candidates live on TV prior to the election which will be held on Sunday, May 22. From 4:15pm – 6pm on Thursday, Channel 7HD will air the live programme “22 May: Deciding Bangkok’s Fate” hosted by Tin Chokkamolkij. Seven Bangkok governor candidates will…
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Top 10 Best Ways To Avoid Condo Hotel Property Rip-Offs
One recent topic of discussion in Thailand’s real estate circles has been about how possible defaults in the condo hotel or investment sector can have a negative impact on the industry. Based on my own two decades of experience with C9 Hotelworks in branded residences in Thailand and throughout Asia Pacific, I thought it might be helpful to give some…
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Thailand to welcome one millionth tourist this year by end of May
Thailand expects its one millionth foreign tourist this year to arrive by the end of May, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The kingdom has seen a sharp increase in tourists since the Test & Go programme and other entry requirements were scrapped at the start this month. However, the current influx of tourists still has nothing on pre-pandemic…
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Newest and widest Chao Phraya cable-stayed bridge to open in 2022
The Expressway Authority of Thailand has provided an update on the development of the newest and widest Chao Phraya cable-stayed bridge, saying the new bridge is expected to open for use sometime later this year. The department would ask HM King Vachiralongkorn to officiate at the opening and provide his auspicious name to the bridge, Rama 10. EXAT says that…
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14 year old student takes her own life after teacher expels her from school
A 14 year old female student in the southern province of Songkhla has committed suicide after a teacher expelled her from school because of her financial and family problems. Thai media reported that a 14 year old female student decided to hang herself at a house in Songkhla province on May 13. Her friends told police that she had problems…
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450 charging stations for electric vehicles by the end of 2022
PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR) plans to increase its electric vehicle (EV) business by adding more charging stations in the nation’s shopping malls by the end of the year. Terminal 21, Fashion Island, and The Promenade are next in line to get the charging stations under the PluZ brand. Five more stations, two in Bangkok, two in Pattaya and…
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Northeast Thailand sees worst floods in 10 years
Many areas of Thailand have experienced heavy rain and flash flooding since monsoon season began on Friday. Yesterday, two hours of continuous heavy rain caused flash flooding in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand. A pottery village in Chok Chai district experienced the heaviest flooding to occur in 10 years. Hook 31 Rescue Team deployed boats to evacuate villagers and their…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 3,893 new cases; provincial totals
38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,550 with 7,852 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,893 new Covid-19 cases and 7,323 recoveries. There are now 63,337 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today,…
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Family Pit Bull attacks 8 year old girl in central Thailand
An 8 year old girl was seriously injured after she was attacked by her family dog at around 4pm yesterday in Samut Prakan province, central Thailand. The child said she was skateboarding in the kitchen when the Pit Bull – Thai mixed breed dog suddenly got up and repeatedly bit her head and hands. Grade 3 student Apichada Khampan was found…
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Thai woman struck dead by lightning in cow field
A farmer was killed by a lightning strike in a cow field in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, yesterday evening. The 53 year old woman was herding her cows into their cowshed to escape the storm when she was struck. Wanida (surname reserved) was out working in the fields with her 53 year old relative Thongbai (surname reserved) when it started…
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Government says relaxed travel restrictions have led to tourism surge on Phuket, Samui
The Thai government is patting itself on the back for the decision to ease entry restrictions, which officials say has boosted tourism in places like Phuket and Koh Samui. “All this is due to the government’s move to ease travel restrictions during the country’s high season between March and May.” So says government spokesman, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, pointing out that up…
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Thai schools will no longer have to close if Covid-19 infection detected
Thai schools will no longer have to close if a student, teacher, or staff member tests positive for Covid-19, according to the Department of Health. The department’s deputy director-general, Sarawut Boonsook, has confirmed the new policy as the new school term gets underway today. According to a Thai PBS World report, if a student, teacher, or school staff member is…
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