News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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SEC fears cryptocurrency trading by inexperienced traders
The Securities and Exchange Commission in Thailand is worried about crypto investor ignorance as cryptocurrency trading volume in Thailand surged to 700 to 800 billion baht over the past 10 months. The chief executive of Zipmex Thailand predicted trading will hit 1 trillion baht by the end of 2021. At the PostToday Cryptocurrency Forum 2021 yesterday the Zipmex executive said…
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Village under Covid-19 lockdown after old woman lies
The dishonesty of an old woman led to an entire village in Buriram being sealed off on lockdown due to a Covid-19 outbreak she created. The woman lied about her visiting daughter and son-in-law to avoid the 14-day quarantine set in place to allow enough time to avoid a Covid-19 outbreak. The 75 year old woman lives in the village…
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Afghanistan: What Taliban takeover means for the region
The Chinese government has so far appeared to be at ease with the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s takeover of the country. “The Chinese embassy in Afghanistan is continuing to operate as normal, and its ambassador and embassy staff will remain in their posts,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday. Most Chinese citizens in Afghanistan…
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Haiti earthquake confirmed death toll passes 2,000
As rescuers continue to work to assess the losses in Haiti, the death toll from Saturday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake has surpassed 2,000 people. The devastating effects of the earthquake on the poor island nation have left thousands homeless, and today 250 more were added to the death count, reaching 2,189 people according to Haiti’s civil protection agency. They estimate the…
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60 of 155 national parks reopened across Thailand
With Covid-19 closing or prohibiting many things people love about Thailand – nightlife, massage shops, cheap drinks, even some beaches – the country’s natural beauty is once again be available for people to enjoy. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has reopened 60 of the 155 national parks across all of Thailand from now until further notice.…
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Father of teenager that was shot near Monday’s protest files police complaint
The father of the teenager who was shot near the Din Daeng Police Station in Bangkok as Monday’s pro-democracy protest was going on has filed a complaint with the police today. The father is demanding that the shooter face legal ramifications for what happened to his son. Choonhavan Homya’s 14 year old son, who was shot in the shoulder, will…
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Doctor urges everyone to be nicer to people who have recovered from Covid, warns everyone will contract the virus
A Thai doctor is asking everyone to be nicer to people who have recovered from Covid because they’ve already suffered enough. He says some have even had near-death experiences. Dr Manoon adds that everyone will eventually contract the virus. Dr Manoon works at the Vichaiyut Hospital and made his Covid statement on Facebook today. He says many people who have…
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Police arrest man for allegedly robbing Bangkok gold shop, threatening owner with fake gun
Thai police arrested a man yesterday for allegedly robbing a gold shop and running off with a gold necklace valued at more than 50,000 baht in Bangkok’s Udomsuk area. He allegedly used a fake gun to threaten the shop owner and fled the scene on a motorbike with no license plate. After reviewing surveillance camera, footage police were able to…
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Become an investor in The Thaiger
Calling all Thaiger readers, viewers, fans and all – we’re offering a very exciting opportunity to anyone who’s been part of The Thaiger’s journey. With this announcement of our first capital raise, we’re offering you the opportunity to become an official shareholder of The Thaiger and join us on our mission to redefine the news and media landscape in Thailand…
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Kratom can legally be grown and leaves can be sold commercially next week
Starting next Tuesday, Kratom can be grown and its leaves, which have mind-altering characteristics, can be sold commercially in the Land of Smiles without the threat of prosecution. Also, people who have been detained for Kratom related offences will be released and their charges will be dropped. Currently, there are 1,038 people in prison for Kratom related offences. They will…
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No drinking of snake blood at this year’s Cobra Gold military exercise, PETA says
The controversial practice of decapitating snakes and pouring the blood into soldiers’ mouths is apparently no longer part of the jungle survival training for US and other foreign troops at Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold military exercise. PETA, or the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been calling for an end to the snake blood exercise and the killing…
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Happy Paradise plan to welcome tourists, encourage spending
In an attempt to boost revenues and welcome more tourists to the Phuket Sandbox and beyond, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has launched a “Happy Paradise” programme. The plan aims at creating activities and excitement for Sandbox travellers and has kicked off with 1,000 Happy Paradise Welcome Kits. The program helps to invigorate not just Phuket arrivals, but also travellers…
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Bangkok and Chon Buri police arrest 9 suspects they believe were part of loan shark operation
Bangkok and Chon Buri police arrested 9 people through combined raids on what police believe were locations used for illegal loan shark apps. The arrests happened earlier this morning. Thai media reports that 6 of the suspects are Thai nationals and the remaining 3 suspects are Chinese nationals. Economic Crime Suppression Division police and the Provincial Police Region 2 took…
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Phuket Fishing Port closed for 14 days following Covid outbreak
A series of Covid infections on fishing boats has shut down the Phuket Fishing Port, located on Koh Siray, for 14 days. The 2 week closure is to allow all operators and fishing crews who operate out of the port to get tested for Covid. The president of the Phuket Fishermen’s Association, Somyot Wongbunyakul, announced the port closure yesterday. The…
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Army pursues those claiming they brought Covid-19 to Thailand
The Royal Thai Army is fighting on a very different battleground today as they vowed to take action against a rumour online that they were responsible for letting Covid-19 into Thailand. The allegations are being made on Thai social media that an army medical research facility first brought the Coronavirus into the country and it spread from there. Channel 7…
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Thursday Covid Update: 20,902 new cases; provincial totals
20,902 new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Around half of those cases are in central Thailand. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported at total of 989,859 Covid-19 cases. The latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, has accounted for 960,996 of…
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Biden stands by decision to withdraw troops, says no leaving without ‘chaos ensuing’
Following Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul with thousands now trying to evacuate the country, US President Joe Biden sat down with an ABC News reporter for a one-on-one interview, standing by the decision to withdraw US troops after occupying the area for two decades. While acknowledging that he was stunned by the swift takeover of the US-backed Afghan government,…
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Vietjet to launch 4 direct cross-country routes from September
From next month, Vietjet will resume a number of domestic routes between Thai provinces without the need to connect in Bangkok. The carrier is promoting 4 routes for around 389 baht when taxes and other fees are factored in. According to TTR Weekly, the airline has dropped its 1pm – 3pm booking window so passengers now have more time to…
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7 year old living alone after whole family contracts Covid, officials ask neighbours to help out
A 7 year old is living by himself after his 8 family members who also lived with him tested positive for Covid. Since the boy, identified as Bass, is the only family member not to test positive for Covid, he got to stay behind in his home in Nonthaburi, the province just outside of Bangkok. A local rescue team, RX…
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Phuket entry requirements updated to admit some domestic travellers
Phuket officials have amended the requirements for domestic travel to the island, allowing some categories to enter. The measures are in place until at least the end of the month. According to TTR Weekly, domestic arrivals who meet the criteria below can enter Phuket via land, sea, or air. – Anyone returning to Phuket who can produce a house registration…
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PM says Covid restrictions could be eased next month if enforced more efficiently now
Thailand’s PM says some Covid-19 restrictions may be relaxed from next month, if the infection rate starts to come down. Until then, he says everyone should strictly adhere to the rules, thereby making the restrictions more effective and reducing the number of new cases and fatalities. Prayut Chan-o-cha was addressing the nation via his Facebook page, according to a Bangkok…
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Thursday Covid Update: 20,902 new cases and 301 deaths
20,902 new Covid-19 cases and 301 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 22,208 recoveries. There are now 205,946 people receiving treatment for Covid-19. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, the CCSA…
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Meet the Middle Eastern migrants trapped in Lithuania
The trip from the center of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, to the refugee reception center in Rudninkai takes about 40 minutes. It’s not that easy to get there. We have to stop and ask for directions several times. But eventually we park our car at the edge of a forest and then follow a well-trodden path through the undergrowth toward…
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CCSA approves Sputnik vaccine, allowing Russian Sandboxers
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration quietly okayed the Russian Sputnik vaccine as one of the accepted vaccine brands for international travellers entering Sandbox destinations in Thailand. The vaccine had previously failed to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration for import and use in Thailand. The Department of Disease Control is now expected to approve the order from…
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Airlifted Afghans to receive temporary shelter in Albania
Yuri Kim, ambassador of the United States to Albania, has revealed that a contingent of Afghans will be arriving in the Balkan country, without giving a precise figure. “We do not yet have the exact number of the Afghans who will be temporarily sheltered here,” she said in a brief statement for the media on August 17. Unofficial sources told…
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Indonesia converting motorbikes to electric, aims for all e-vehicles
A new program is launching today in Indonesia to convert normal petrol-fueled motorbikes into electric vehicles to try to make Indonesian transportation more eco-friendly. Indonesia’s Energy Ministry announced the plan to make a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation and they have already converted 10 motorbikes. The plan intends to convert 90 more motorbikes by November for a total of…
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Indonesia: Will the army’s ban on ‘virginity tests’ last?
The chief of staff of the Indonesian army, General Andika Perkasa, recently announced that the army will no longer conduct virginity tests on women applying to join the forces. He was referring to the invasive two-finger examination that was conducted to determine whether female applicants’ hymens were intact. The practice, used in the past by the military to determine recruits’…
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Afghanistan: Pakistan rejoices at Taliban victory as West flounders
Afghanistan has a familiar power back in place. Kabul has fallen. The Taliban have won. And Pakistanis are euphoric. To many a foe, but to others a friend, the cloistered group of extremists has long-held cordial ties with Islamabad, and the Taliban’s recent rise from the flames has left many Pakistanis in raptures. Khan: Removal of the ‘shackles of slavery’…
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Grenade found outside local politician’s home in Prachin Buri
A grenade was found in front of a local politician’s home in the central province Prachin Buri, east of Bangkok. The chief of the Kham Tanot Administrative Organization, 53 year old Suchart Dejsupha, said he was in a meeting when he received a message from his daughter with a photo of what appeared to be a bomb outside his house. Police…
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Pattaya beach remodel project defended by mayor
After an uproar paused a beach remodel project that began Sunday, the Pattaya City Mayor held a press conference to explain and justify the remodel plans. Community leaders and notable residents protested the plans to launch the refurbishment, with complaints mainly on two grounds. First, many objected to the removal of trees that would come along with revamping the beachfront.…
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