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 Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Here’s your health checklist before the move
Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Thailand is a popular choice for retirees because of its beautiful landscapes, warm climate, and affordable living. Cities like Chiang Mai and coastal areas offer a relaxed lifestyle with friendly communities. The country also...
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Killing off retirement opportunities in Thailand – OPINION
OPINION Quite clearly the Government has simply not thought through the impact of the insurance provisions imposed by the Thailand Pass on “budget tourists” and likewise on current and prospective retirees in Thailand. The sobering reality is that it is well nigh impossible for individuals, 70 years and above, to obtain health insurance other than at exorbitant rates. The insurance…
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Massive buffet for monkeys in Lop Buri set for this month
A holiday is coming up… for monkeys. The annual Monkey Festival in the central province Lop Buri is approaching and a buffet of fruits will be set up for the thousands of crab-eating macaques occupy the grounds of the 13th century temple Pra Prang Sam Yod. The feast is scheduled for November 28, but the monkeys have gotten some treats…
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Monday Covid Update: 8,165 new cases; provincial totals
55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 19,260 with 19,166 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 8,165 new Covid-19 cases and 9,574 recoveries. There are now 99,227 people in Thailand being…
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Suspect in transnational sex trafficking case arrested in Samut Sakhon
A suspect in a transnational sex trafficking case was arrested on Friday in Samut Sakhon, a province just southwest of Bangkok. The suspect allegedly promised a number of Thai women well-paying jobs in massage parlours in Dubai, but once the women were in the UAE, their passports were seized by traffickers and they were said to be forced into sex…
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Thailand renews crackdown on illegal migrants ahead of re-opening
Thailand is cracking down on illegal migrants and those who smuggle them into the country, as authorities try to prevent imported Covid-19 infections. The Defence Ministry says over 30,000 illegal migrants have been intercepted and deported since the beginning of the year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the number arrested continues to rise as the country prepares to re-open…
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Monday Covid Update: 8,165 new cases and 55 deaths
8,165 new Covid-19 cases and 55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the CCSA. 9,574 more people were marked as “recovered” in the 24-hour period since the last count. Thailand now has 99,227 active Covid-19 cases. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, the CCSA has reported 1,891,326 confirmed Covid-19…
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Thailand re-opens: minimal quarantine for vaccinated tourists from 63 countries
From today, vaccinated tourists from 63 countries can enter Thailand (by air only) with minimal quarantine requirements. Fully inoculated tourists from approved countries only need to wait in their hotel room for the result of their PCR test and are then free to go where they like. The move has been welcomed by a tourism sector crushed by the Covid-19…
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Thailand Covid zones update: Alcohol, curfews, dining, schools, getting together
The CCSA has revised the colour-coded zones for Thailand ahead of today’s reopening. It reduces the dark red zone to just 7 remaining provinces, reinstates the yellow zone for provinces under observation but not restricted, and adding a tourist blue zone that appears less connected to actual Covid-19 stats than it is to economic potential to benefit the tourism sector.…
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Consular Deparment FAQ on Thailand Pass entry November 1
A thorough infographic of the Thailand Pass process was released by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for people planning their travel after November 1. The white text on photo backgrounds might not be the easiest way to digest this complex process, so below is the transcribed text of the announcement with some key new information detailed.…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY: Deaths dropped, vaccinations data changed again
Today, the CCSA reported 8,859 new Covid-19 infections, down 365 since yesterday, and 47 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 41 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,883,151 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. The death rate in the month of October dropped dramatically, with nearly triple the amount of daily…
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17 more countries added to (almost) no quarantine list in Thailand
Late last night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an amendment to the list of countries that can enter Thailand without quarantine starting tomorrow, adding 17 new countries to the list of 46 countries and territories. (But even fully vaccinated travellers will have to spend one night in an SHA+ or ASQ hotel as they wait for their test result).…
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New zone restrictions: Booze, curfew, dining, schools, gatherings updated
So the CCSA has radically revised the colour-coded zone scheme for Thailand ahead of the reopening, reducing the dark red zone to just 7 remaining provinces, reinstating the yellow zone for provinces under observation but not restricted, and adding a tourist blue zone that is less connected to Covid-19 stats than it is to economic stats of how it can…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: 88 deaths, provincial data, vaccination update
Today, the CCSA reported 9,224 new Covid-19 infections, up 256 since yesterday, and 88 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 24 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,874,292 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 8,305 recoveries, up 442 from…
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Chiang Mai Central Prison uncovers Alpha Plus Covid-19 cases
While 98% of Covid-19 in Thailand is now the Delta variant, with fears of some of the new Delta Plus strains creeping into the country, two inmates at Chiang Mai Central Prison have been diagnosed with infections of the Alpha Plus variant. The Covid-19 infection was originally detected in late September from genome sequencing and the Alpha variant discovery has…
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CCSA: Only 7 provinces in the Dark Red Zone, 5 zones used now
In their meeting yesterday, the CCSA has massively reduced the Dark Red Maximum and Strict Controlled Zone from 23 to just 7 provinces ahead of Monday’s reopening to international tourism. The remaining dark red zones are mainly the Covid-19 plagued Deep South, with Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala remaining dark red. Tak on Thailand’s western border and…
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Thailand deemed too wealthy to produce generic Molnupiravir
Thailand has been deemed to be too rich to produce a generic version of the anti-viral drug Molnupiravir that reduces the negative effects of Covid-19 infections. Merck, the producer of the drug, had made an agreement to license the virus-fighting drug to production companies in poor countries to help in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. But the World Bank has…
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Koh Chang on track for November 11 reopening with sandbox scheme
Koh Chang is poised to welcome back foreign visitors amid plans to get a sandbox scheme underway from November 11. The island, in the eastern province of Trat, is gearing up for reopening under the “Koh Chang Sandbox” scheme, with Trat governor Chamnanwit Taerat ordering preparations be made in seeking to breathe life back into the local tourism sector. As…
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Leading Thai shopping centre developer exploring cryptocurrency rollout
Thai retailer Central Retail Corp is piloting a digital currency based on blockchain technology, which it is currently rolling out to employees around the world. Bloomberg reports the cryptocurrency, dubbed “C-Coin”, is being distributed to Central’s 80,000 global employees on merit, in addition to their usual compensation, with it able to be used in place of cash at restaurants or…
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DDC forecasts potential Covid-19 scenarios amid tourism restart
Ahead of next week’s reopening of Thailand’s international borders and the relaxing of quarantine requirements, the Department of Disease Control has provided a rundown of 3 potential Covid-19 scenarios facing the nation. The scenarios – categorised as “green”, “orange” and “grey” – respectively outline the risk of the virus spreading locally against the backdrop of the tourism restart, according to…
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Tourism Minister: “Maybe we should’ve confirmed Lisa first”
In a rare apology from the government, Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan says they announced that Blackpink megastar Lisa would play a New Year’s event without considering any details (like if she was available or interested). After the bold announcement of a massive countdown party to call global attention to Thailand reopening to tourism, multiple government agencies and…
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Bangkok officials consider allowing alcohol sales at restaurants
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is considering allowing alcohol sales at restaurants starting Monday as the capital reopens to international arrivals. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced during a CCSA press briefing this afternoon that the BMA was meeting with relevant authorities to decide whether to lift the alcohol ban. Bangkok is also being reclassified on the Thai…
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Tourism industry aims for improvement over Sandbox for reopening
Thailand’s battered tourism industry is making final preparations for the big November 1 reopening with high hopes of welcoming back international travellers across Thailand. On November 1, the country will reopen with still somewhat convoluted 3 entry options and quarantine-free travel for arrivals from 46 low-risk countries. The Phuket Sandbox, with nearly 58,000 arrivals from July 1, has been viewed…
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Teenager shot at August protest in Bangkok dies after months in a coma
The teenager who was shot in the neck at a protest outside Bangkok’s Din Daeng police station back in August died. According to the Bangkok Post, Amnesty International Thailand confirmed that the 15 year old died yesterday morning after being in a coma for several months. There have been several violent clashes at Din Daeng intersection involving young anti-government protesters…
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Centara Hotels suffer data breach by hackers Desorden Group
Centara Hotels and Resorts, the luxury chain in Thailand, confirmed a data breach this month at the hands of the infamous hacker Desorden Group. The CEO, Thirayuth Chirathivat, said the hack was detected October 14 and an investigation confirmed that guest details had been compromised. Names and ID photos, booking information, email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses have all…
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PM orders clampdown on black market Favipiravir trade following arrests
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered a crackdown on the illegal trade of the Favipiravir antiviral drug, used to treat Covid-19, following the seizure of hundreds of boxes destined for the online black market earlier this week. Police arrested nine suspects on Tuesday, carrying out coordinated raids across Bangkok, Saraburi, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi, with a hospital manager alleged to have…
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Army conscript dies a day after receiving second Covid-19 vaccine shot
A 23 year old army conscript died earlier this week after receiving a second Covid-19 vaccine shot, according to the Bangkok Post. According to the report, Khanti Anantasiri, who had no underlying health conditions, died at home in Ratchaburi province on Tuesday afternoon, a day after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. He had earlier received the Sinovac vaccine. Khanti had complained…
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More Pfizer vaccines for children arrive in Thailand
Another batch of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine doses has landed in Thailand, with Department of Disease Control director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong confirming the arrival of 1,538,550 doses on Wednesday. As reported by Nation Thailand, Dr Opas said the government has procured the mRNA vaccine for children aged over 12, along with other target groups, with a total of 8 million doses…
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Indian community call for their country to be added to Thailand’s low-risk list
Indians are urging the Thai government to add India to the list of low-risk countries for Thailand’s November 1 re-opening. The Bangkok Post reports that the Indian community in Thailand have pointed out how much they can contribute to the economy. The plea comes as Thailand prepares to re-open with minimal quarantine for vaccinated visitors from 46 approved countries. While…
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Thailand Pass: all systems go for Monday
The new Thailand Pass system launches on Monday when the country re-opens with minimal quarantine for vaccinated tourists from select countries. The Bangkok Post reports a government spokesman as saying the new system will replace the Certificate of Entry with a more streamlined process. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says the online system will allow tourists, Thais, and foreign residents of Thailand to…
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Bangkok public transport back to normal capacity on Monday
Bangkok’s BTS, BRT and Gold Line public transport systems will resume normal operating hours from Monday alongside the government’s move to reopen Thailand’s international borders and lift the nightly curfew in the capital. According to Nation Thailand, Bangkok Mass Transit System director Surapong Laoha-Unya said the resumption of regular services comes with all employees having been fully vaccinated and required…
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