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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Thai Brewers Association asks for reprieve from alcohol ban
Yesterday, the Thai Brewers Association delivered a petition to the CCSA and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration asking them to reverse the ban of alcohol sales in restaurants, bars as the ban has been harmful to their businesses and they have not been given any other options. The statement reads: The Thai Brewers Association truly understands the goodwill and purpose of…
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Thai government allegedly ticked-off with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
The government is becoming increasingly irritated by the Bangkok Governor and his administration, according to a Thai Enquirer report. The media outlet says senior officials at the Public Health Ministry and at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration are critical of the governor’s random handling of the pandemic and its associated restrictions. The report is based on feedback from an…
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Police officers arrested for alleged involvement in Bangkok kidnap
Two high ranking police officers in Bangkok have been arrested for alleged involvement in the kidnap of a 60 year old Taiwanese businessman for a US$3 million ransom. Police say the man was abducted in broad daylight from a restaurant in the Thong Lor district over a failed business deal for rubber gloves. The March 28 incident where 60 year…
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Government unsure if local administration budgets can be used to buy vaccines
In what could put yet another spanner in the works, the Thai government is questioning if local authorities can purchase vaccines and whether state-allocated budgets can be used for this purpose. The Bangkok Post reports that officials at the Interior Ministry fear a chaotic rollout, with several local administrative organisations racing to order supplies of Sinopharm, the latest vaccine to…
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Don’t worry, says PM, we’ll have enough vaccines
The Thai PM says he’s confident there will be no shortage of Covid-19 vaccines and that expected deliveries will arrive as scheduled. Prayut Chan-o-cha was speaking yesterday during a House of Representatives address, ahead of a debate on the budget for the 2022 financial year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM says the distribution of vaccines to areas…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 2,230 new cases and 38 deaths
2,230 new Covid-19 cases and 38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, in the latest wave of cases, the CCSA has reported 133,159 infections. Out of the new cases, 77 were detected in correctional facilities, a drastic decrease in infections at Thai prisons. Thousands of inmates at more than a dozen…
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Opening Phuket and Thailand to travellers and tourists on July 1 | VIDEO
If you’re wanting, or able, to come to Thailand at the moment, the best chance is about to happen. It’s called the Phuket Sandbox, but it’s a pilot program for the rest of Thailand’s tourist areas, and eventually the entire country, to reopen safely for travellers and tourism from July 1. There will be changes to the scheme and additional…
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Thousands of restaurants could close due to Covid restrictions, many others struggling
Thailands newest wave of Covid, as well as the most virulent, and the lockdowns and restrictions because of it, is set to ruin hundreds of restaurants. One restaurant owner, 79 year old Kamol Trisitthichet, who owns Arlek Ratchawongse, spoke to Thai media about his ongoing struggles. He says that his business has lost 500,000 baht since the pandemic started. Further, despite…
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Thailand News Today | ‘Covid’ visa extensions, Bangkok aims for 70% vaccination in 1 month | May 31
The deadline to apply for a 60-day visa “Covid” extension has been pushed to July 29, now allowing stays up until late-September, The Department of Disease Control has set an ambitious goal to vaccinate at least 70% of Bangkok residents by July, Thailand has officially extended its Emergency Decree for a 12th time set to expire on July 31 and…
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Canadian woman sexually assaulted while doing a live stream video in Bangkok
Police are searching for a man who was caught on camera sexually assaulting a Canadian woman near Bangkok’s Lumpini Park while she was doing a live stream video for social media. The video shows the man running up to the woman from behind and appearing to reach is hand down below her waist. The woman made a post on Twitter…
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Bangkok loosens restrictions, allows 5 types of places to reopen tomorrow
Bangkok city officials are loosening restrictions in the capital and are allowing 5 types of venues to reopen tomorrow (May 1) while other venues under the closure order must remain closed at least until June 14. Bangkok remains the epicentre of infections with 1,356 cases reported today and 41,573 infections over the past couple months in the latest wave of…
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Monday Covid Update: 5,485 new cases and 19 deaths, provincial totals
A record high of 5,485 new Covid-19 infections were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 19 coronavirus-related deaths were also reported today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 1,031. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 159,792 Covid-19 cases, including 130,929 infections reported in the latest wave…
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Ukrainian ambassador to Thailand dies while on holiday on Koh Lipe
The Ukrainian ambassador to Thailand died yesterday morning while on holiday on Koh Lipe, a small island west of the southern province Satun. Local health officials say the 45 year old ambassador, Andrii Beshta, died from a heart attack. Andrii’s son said that his father had vomited and lost consciousness before he died. They had been staying in the same hotel…
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Thai government accused of concealing AstraZeneca supply issues
Medics are accusing the Thai government of a lack of transparency over supply issues associated with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The Rural Doctors Society says the administration is keeping quiet about the real situation and the supply challenges it faces. The government has consistently said that the first batch of locally-produced doses would be delivered this week. The Foreign Ministry…
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After woman’s death, doctor talks about birth control pills and Covid vaccine risks
Following the death of a 32 year woman, who suffered from blood clotting a couple weeks after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Thailand has advised women think about whether to stop taking birth control pills before receiving the Covid-19 vaccines due to a possible increased risk of blood clots. The doctor spoke during a live streaming session following…
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Government considering linking ID details to social media profiles
In what it says is an attempt to address fake news, fraud, and unlawful content, the government is considering linking people’s ID cards to their social media profiles. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry claims doing this would also boost e-commerce on social media. Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn says a draft regulation on the subject…
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Emergency Decree extended a 12th time, until July 31
After running through the normal bureaucratic process, it’s now official: Thailand is officially extending its Emergency Decree for a 12th time. The Decree was set to expire May 31 and while there was little doubt that it would be extended, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has now signed the official document to extend the Decree two more months. It is now set…
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Phuket reopens: Parents must be vaccinated, children can come too
Good news for parents of international travellers… if you got vaccinated but opted out of vaccinating your (age 17 and under) children, you can still visit Phuket starting July 1, as reported yesterday in the Phuket Info Centre’s Facebook page. With a month to go before the much-publicised re-opening of Thailand to international travellers, without quarantine, starting with Phuket, the…
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Government considering legal action against alleged Covid-19 vaccine provider
Duangrit Bunnag and Accap Assets, a real estate company located in Bangkok, with projects throughout Thailand, is facing legal action from The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society for allegedly falsifying documents about the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, as well as allegedly spreading fake news about it. The government points at a document that allegedly shows that the company stated it…
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Recent poll shows most Thai residents pin high hopes on first dose
According to a recent Super poll, nearly 90% of respondents say they want every Thai citizen to receive the first dose to fight Covid-19, but are less concerned when the second dose is given. Furthermore, almost 80% of respondents believe they can resume their pre-Covid-19 life as soon as Thais get their first dose. The director of the Super Poll…
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Bangkok teenagers busted for party, drugs
Police have busted what Thai media is calling a “drug party” early yesterday morning in the Sai Mai district of Bangkok. They arrested 23 teenagers and “confirmed” 17 of them were using illicit narcotics. Locals had reported the teenager’s festivities citing fears that it could lead to a Covid-19 outbreak. When they arrived, police allegedly found almost 2 dozen teenagers…
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Covid UPDATE Sunday: 4,528 Covid infections and 24 death
Today the public health department has reported 4,528 Covid infections and 24 C-19 related deaths. Another huge proportion of todays cases, 1,902, are from Thai prisons. We will post the provincial totals early in the afternoon as usual. • Chon Buri officials have announced 90 new Covid infections today, and 1 new death, mostly driven by clusters at factories and migrant…
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Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,803 cases and 34 deaths, provincial totals
This morning Thailand’s public health department has announced another 34 deaths and 4,803 new Covid infections in the past 24 hours. A staggering 2,702 of the new cases have emerged from Thailand’s overcrowded prisons. More than 30 people have died each day from Covid-related causes over the past 4 days. Bangkok had 1,054 cases reported in the past 24 hours…
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Proposed amendment may harm government transparency
Thailand is moving to take 1 step towards transparency and 2 steps back, as a proposed amendment to the Official Information Act moves from the public’s right of access towards protecting state secrets. The new amendment would give exception to disclosure of anything considered to have the potential to harm the monarchy, military affairs and national security. A chapter named…
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Covid UPDATE Saturday: 4,803 cases and 34 deaths
This morning Thailand’s public health department has announced another 34 deaths and 4,803 new Covid infections in the past 24 hours. A staggering 2,702 of the new cases have emerged from Thailand’s overcrowded prisons. More than 30 people have died each day from Covid-related causes over the past 4 days. A total of 120,916 people in Thailand have now been…
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Sinopharm wins ok from FDA, the 5th approved Covid-19 vaccine
Thailand adds another Covid-19 vaccine to its arsenal, as the Food and Drug Administration has just approved the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use. Biogenetech Co. submitted a registration application that has been under consideration by the FDA until receiving approval today. Sinopharm joins Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna to be officially approved for use in Thailand. Today Sinopharm…
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Thailand News Today | 500 Covid hospital ‘patients’ escape, 1 night, 1$ campaign for Phuket | May 28
Hundreds of Covid patients at a packed field hospital at a Phetchaburi factory attempted to escape during a power outage due to the hot and crowded conditions, 1 man has been rescued, while another is still missing, after a speedboat capsized in rough waters off the island of Koh Chang, Tourism officials are pushing for a proposed campaign they call…
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“Covid Vaccine ✔️” signs for vaccinated taxi drivers
At a time when customers are hard to find, some taxis are getting a boost by advertising their Covid-19 safety with a “Vaccine” sign for any cabbie who’s had their jabs. The illuminated green LED sign is the brainchild of Smart Taxi managing director, who believes that this confirmation will make commuters and passengers feel more safe and secure. He…
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Government Lottery Office ordered to pay 1.65 billion baht over failed project
After a decade-plus struggle, the Supreme Administrative Court has ordered the Government Lottery Office, or GLO, to pay the Thai conglomerate Loxley 1.65 billion baht in compensation over a failed online lottery project. An online lottery system and machines were set up nationwide by Loxley GTech back in 2006. The company had also trained people on how to operate the…
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Police raid Pattaya bar and arrest 32 people for drinking alcohol
Police raided a Pattaya bar and arrested 32 Thais and foreigners who were allegedly drinking alcohol, violating Covid-19 disease control measures which prohibit gatherings, particularly where alcohol is involved. Police were called to the Sky Mountain Bar at around 11:30pm last night after a call from a local. Customers and bar staff emerge arrested and taken to the Pattaya City…
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