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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VIDEO: Elephant kills monk in eastern Thailand
A 66 year old Buddhist monk was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Chanthanaburi province in eastern Thailand on Saturday. The terrifying moment was captured by CCTV. At 5am yesterday, a monk came out of his hut and discovered the body of Phra Prachon Suksingh outside on the temple grounds. It was clear that he had been trampled…
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Helicopter crash in Malaysia reported pilot alive, then dead
Yesterday above the skies of Malaysia, a helicopter mysteriously disappeared as air traffic control lost all contact. This morning the helicopter’s pilot was reportedly found alive in the wreckage only to be declared dead later on. At 11.37am yesterday, the helicopter took off from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang Airport – a secondary airport of the…
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UPDATE: Kanchana Buri skywalk opens and closes on River Kwai
[UPDATE: After just one day of opening, the skywalk over the River Kwai has been closed already. It seems that having a glass bottom allows for spectacular views but also requires special shoes not to damage the bridge, and they were in short supply. All visitors are required to purchase these special shoes and wear them when walking across the…
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Two oarsmen drown in race practise on the Mekong River
Two oarsmen tragically drowned on Friday while practising for the Thailand-Laos-Vietnam Long Boat Race last weekend. Their bodies were found yesterday washed ashore on a Mekong River bank in the Isaan province of Bueng Kan. More than ten boat racers were practising on the Mekong River on Friday morning in preparation for the race from Friday, September 9 to Sunday,…
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Cannabis bill goes to House today for urgent consideration
A new bill is set to be proposed to the House of Representatives today for urgent consideration to bring some regulation to the decriminalising of cannabis in Thailand. The bill took its lead from the best parts of several related laws and will propose restrictions on the growth and usage of the plant in the kingdom. Under the rules proposed…
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Unfinished MRT Pink Line causes a road to collapse in Bangkok
Commuters, pedestrians, and drivers had a lucky escape yesterday morning when torrential rain and floods caused part of the Chaeng Wattana Road in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok to collapse. The finger of blame was pointed toward the unfinished MRT Pink Line for the second time in a week. A part of the Chaeng Wattana Road, near Central Chang Wattana, dropped…
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Thai health service stops Covid vaccine reaction pay outs
Only gold card scheme members and universal healthcare members can claim reimbursement for any reaction to coronavirus jabs, says the National Health Security Office (NHSO). Deputy Secretary General Atthaporn Limpanyalert announced the NHSO has reviewed the situation regarding Covid-19 and concluded that because the problem is easing it will no longer compensate those suffering from side effects of the vaccine…
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The Funny Man Behind Improv Comedy in Thailand | Thaiger Podcast Ep. 6
Drew McCreadie, Canadian based actor, playwright and award winning improvisor. Drew is the creative director and co-founder of Thailand’s only dedicated English language comedy venue, the Comedy Club Bangkok. He has won numerous comedy awards, such as Best Male Improvisor in Canada and his play The Cat Who Ate Her Husband won five Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards including for best…
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POLL: People unsatisfied with Prawit, want a special election
A new poll revealed that people are not impressed with caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan as acting PM, but do not want him to take major action either, aside from calling a new election to find his replacement. The majority of people do not want a Cabinet reshuffle, but most people want a special election called to elect a new…
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Man stabbed on Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach reportedly over noise dispute
A man stabbed another man on Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach in the early hours of yesterday morning. Witnesses said the man stabbed the victim, 34 year old Narintorn, over a dispute about Narintorn talking too loudly. The witnesses said that Narintorn had been drinking on the beach when a man who had been sleeping in a tent walked out of the…
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Favipiravir found ineffective against Covid-19 & causes gout
The bad news for Favipiravir is that a new study found it to be ineffective in the treatment of Covid-19 infections. And more bad news, it can also cause gout. The study was released in the Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal on August 6, and Thai respiratory specialist Dr Manoon Leechawengongs of Vichaiyut Hospital posted on Facebook Friday that Thailand needs…
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UPDATE: 100 stranded elephants returned to park in northeast Thailand
UPDATE Over 100 wild elephants have been returned to a national park after about 40 of them were found devouring farmers’ crops this week in the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province. The gentle giants had been spotted looking for food in the Khao Pradu community, feasting on rice, sugarcane, and corn. The farmers said they had munched 60 rai of crops…
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Woman gives birth in pickup truck as floods block hospital entrance in eastern Thailand
A Laotian woman gave birth in the back of a Toyota pickup truck on Sukhumvit Road in Rayong province, eastern Thailand, this morning. She gave birth right outside the hospital, but couldn’t get in because the entrance was completely flooded. Rayong has been hit particularly hard by the heavy rainfall and flash flooding experienced in Thailand this week. Today at…
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Bare knuckle boxer flashes boobs after Bangkok victory
Aussie bare knuckle boxer Tai Emery is set to make a fortune after she bared her boobs following a triumphant victory over her opponent in Bangkok last weekend. Emery celebrated after beating Rung-Arun Khunchai in a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship contest by flashing her breasts on Saturday. The former electrician delivered a right upper-cut and a left hook that left…
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Herd of 40 wild elephants devour 60 rai of crops in northeast Thailand
Drone images reveal a herd of more than 40 elephants roaming in a forest just four kilometres away from a farming community in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand. Farmers say the hungry herd have devoured 60 rai of crops in one week, feasting on rice, sugarcane, and corn. The elephants came out of the forest at Thap Lan National Park,…
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Russian minister appreciates Thailand’s neutrality over Ukraine
The Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Affairs Minister of Thailand, Don Pramudwinai, visited Russia this week to celebrate the 125th anniversary of friendship between the two nations and invited President Vladimir Putin to attend Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Thailand in November. Don traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov. After the…
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Train smashes into car in eastern Thailand, 1 killed, 3 seriously injured
A car crashed through a barrier and was hit by a train in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, at 2am today. One woman was killed in the crash and three more people are seriously injured. Officers at Don Hua Lo Police Station received a report at 2am that a train had hit a car where the road and railway track…
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Koh Chang locals urged to evacuate as more rain predicted
Koh Chang residents in the lowlands and foothills of the island have urged people to evacuate the area after learning more heavy rain is predicted to hit the area following a two-days’ deluge that brought floods and landslides. Heavy rain hit Koh Chang island in Trat province in the eastern part of Thailand on Wednesday and continued for two days.…
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Are face masks still required on domestic flights in Thailand?
The world is moving on from the Covid-19 pandemic, but face masks are still popular in Thailand. You might see people on domestic flights in Thailand wearing masks, but are they mandatory? The Thai government made face masks “voluntary” back in June but still recommends wearing them in crowded spaces. The news was published in the Royal Gazette and said……
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Yell signs a collaboration agreement with BACON Singapore and SOUNDS Shanghai
Press Release Yell, an independent agency, has partnered with Singapore’s Bacon Creative and China’s Shanghai Soundsplan Marketing & Planning to expand the organisation’s global reach through partnership creation. This enhances Yell’s ability to serve Asia-Pacific customers and transform into the first Thai agency with an international network. Dissara Udomdej, Yell’s founder and CEO, said, “Yell has developed a more entity…
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Fire breaks out at Indian restaurant in Patong
A fire broke out at an Indian restaurant in Phuket’s famous tourist town of Patong in the early hours of this morning. Firefighters rushed to the restaurant on Taweewong Road to find it ablaze. The firefighters took 40 minutes to bring the flames under control. The restaurant was damaged, but luckily no injuries were reported. The restaurant owner said there…
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You can now submit Thai name ideas for a star and a planet
Astronomy lovers out there can now submit ideas for Thai names for a star and a planet. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand is seeking Thai name submissions as part of an international contest. The contest by the International Astronomical Union is titled “NameExpoWorlds 2022.” The contest aims to name planets and stars outside the solar system that have…
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Flood at dangerous level in Rangsit after water pumps fail
Flood levels in the Rangsit district of Pathum Thani province near Bangkok are at a dangerous level after nine water pumps broke down. It will be three days before they are repaired. The official district website revealed the level of water in the Rangsit Canal had risen to 1.8 metres from 1.78 metres this morning. Rangsit had 20 water pumps…
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Driver crashes pickup into noodles bar, injuring 17 in central Thailand
Seventeen people were injured after a pickup crashed into a noodles shop in Chantaburi province, in the central part of Thailand. He is suspected of being drunk at the wheel or high on drugs. A CCTV camera in front of the shop showed the vehicle losing control and suddenly crashing into the shop while customers were either standing outside or…
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Thaiger Unfiltered
Here’s a chance for our viewers to ask Jay and Sara any questions they have, and they will answer you with their honest responses unfiltered! Please be kind and appropriate.
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Japan donates cute trains to Thailand, ready for public use next month
On Tuesday, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) conducted a trial run of a cute white and purple locomotive donated by Japan. It is one of 17 Kiha 183 passenger trains donated by the Hokkaido Railway Company, which will be used for short tourism routes as soon as next month. Governor of the SRT Nirut Maneephan said the trains will…
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Mother blames Bangkok hospital for the death of her baby
The devastated mother of a stillborn baby blames the hospital near Bangkok where she gave birth for the death of her child. Remarkably, the hospital blames the mother for not trying hard enough. The family of the tragedy is demanding justice after it emerged there was no doctor in the delivery room as the pregnant woman, 25 year old Noi…
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Heaviest rain in two decades pushes Bangkok’s canals to the brink
Bangkok’s heaviest rains in over two decades are pushing its canals to the brink. The downpours started Tuesday evening, overwhelming the canals. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said Bang Khen district has reported 170 millimetres of rain since Tuesday, which has been the highest amount in 20 years. Klong Lat Phrao and Kong Prem Prachakon canals have seen water levels rising to…
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Central department stores to get facelift funding
The Central department stores, seen throughout Thailand and other countries, may be looking a lot less shabby as the retail giant has approved a 15 billion baht makeover for its stores. Central Department Store Co, under Central Retail Corporation, has approved the funding as part of its efforts to expand the retail business from 2023 to 2027. Oliver Bron, the…
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Thailand’s caretaker PM caught sleeping on the job
Caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was caught sleeping on the job this afternoon. The 77 year old was in Krabi province today overseeing a joint meeting with several water and land use agencies to discuss water management issues when he dozed off. The image quickly went viral on Thai social media and drew a number of cheeky comments. Suthaporn Suriyakarn…
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