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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Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, November 2
Flooding around north-east should ease within 14 days | Royal Crematorium now open for tours | 30 year old Australian still in Vachira Hospital | Thailand ‘Ground Zero’ for illegal wildlife trade | New flights to Phuket from Air Asia and Viet Jet.
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Royal Crematorium open for public tours
Public tours of the Royal Crematorium at Sanam Luang in Bangkok begin today following yesterday’s trial run. Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapakorn said Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn would officially open the grounds to the public at 7am, with tours beginning shortly thereafter. As many as 100,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition each day, with the…
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Travelling to Thailand? Check your travel insurance.
A cautionary tale… 30 year old Australian Stacey Liddle is still holed up at Vachira Hospital after a traumatic road accident in Chalong caused a lot of damage to her leg which doctors are now trying to save. Whilst she had travel insurance her insurance didn’t cover this accident due to fine print in the contract. Speaking to news.com.au from…
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‘Toon’ takes off on epic run for hospitals
Rock star Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai started the first leg of his 2,191-kilometre run under the banner the “Kao Kon La Kao”, or “Take One Step Each”, campaign from his starting point in Yala’s Betong district on Wednesday morning. As he and other participants started running at 6.09am from the mouth of Betong Mongkolrit Tunnel with many members of the public…
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Celebrate the third anniversary with a spectacular brunch at Kata Rocks
Kata Rocks is marking its third anniversary on Saturday, December 2 with a ‘Champagne Brunch of The Year’ Anniversary Pool Party that celebrates Phuket’s luxury lifestyle. The resort’s DJ-fuelled brunches are legendary for their stylish party atmosphere. This year’s event is centred around an enticing combination of excellent entertainment, delicious food and chilled ‘bubbles’ plus an exclusive fashion show next…
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Phuket ready to host Foremost IRONMAN 70.3 Thailand
Having hosted triathlons for more than 20 years, Phuket is in an enviable position as the leading triathlon destination in South East Asia and the island is set to bolster its sports tourism credentials further when it hosts the 2017 Foremost IRONMAN 70.3 Thailand, Sunrise Sprint and Foremost IRONKIDS Thailand on 25 and 26 November, 2017. “IRONMAN is a global…
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AirAsia introduces Phuket-Khon Kaen route
Esan here we come AirAsia is strengthening its Phuket base with a new route from Phuket to Khon Kaen, designed to stimulate local regional tourism. Mr. Arun Lilapantisitti, AirAsia’s Station Head for Phuket, said that Phuket is one of AirAsia’s main airport hubs as it offers a variety of routes both domestic and international and has continued to grow steadily.…
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When Thai Tinder doesn’t work, try this
A 65 year old woman in Ubon Ratchathani’s Pibul Mangsahan district has put up a sign on her house’s gate seeking a good, pensioner boyfriend. Sompong Chomphupraphet said she is advertising in this way because she has become lonely after divorcing her German husband. “Woman 65, needs boyfriend between 60-70 years old, pensioner, who is good and sincere and has…
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Clothes thieves caught on shop CCTV – Expo
A clothes shop in Expo named ‘Perdsakad’ had clothes stolen by two women pretending to be customers. The CCTV camera at the store clearly recorded their identity. The footage shows that two women entered the shop. One of them was talking to the staff while the other walked to the corner of the shop and grabbed 4 pieces of clothe…
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Happy Loy Krathong. Here are your kratong launching locations in Phuket.
Happy Loy Krathong. That one day of the year where you can celebrate with fireworks, sky lanterns and sparklers. But this year authorities are saying ‘only floating Krathongs thanks’, and preferably no polystyrene or steel pins. Bangkok’s Governor Aswin Kwanmuang is quoted as saying that only “polite celebrations” should be organised for this year’s festivities. He alluded to the timing…
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210,000 fake sunglasses found in raids in BKK
The Department of Special Investigation has arrested a Chinese national and seized about 210,000 pairs of counterfeit eyeglasses of various name brand names in raids on three warehouses in Bangkok. The DSI say the raids on the warehouses in Khlong Thom and Khlong San were conducted after learning from investigations that a large quantity of untaxed sunglasses and general eyewear…
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‘A Prayer Before Dawn’. About to HIT our screens.
‘A Prayer Before Dawn’ is a 2017 British-French drama film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire. It was shown in the Midnight Screenings section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and stars Joe Cole as Billy Moore. Bar girls, drugs, a young farang in Thailand to have a good time… what could possibly go wrong?! The film’s screenplay has been adapted from…
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Phuket prepares for the visit of HRH Princess Sirindhorn
FILE PHOTO: HRH Princess Sirindhorn HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is scheduled to pay a visit to Phuket on November 12 and 13 to Chair the 11th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA). Phuket authorities met today at a meeting chaired by Governor Noraphat Plodthong to prepare a respectful welcome the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The meeting discussed…
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Stab-and-run assailant arrested at the Thachatchai check point
Early today (October 31), just after midnight, police received a report of a man from Nonthaburi province, Ananchai ‘Good’ Yim-On, who was stabbed to death in front of his rented house in Kathu by Tunya ‘Toom’ Jinda, from Trang province, after a brief fight. Ananchai was stabbed in three places around his body and was sent to Patong Hopital but…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 31
New King, new coins | Thai PM issues ‘thanks’ to flood victims | Qatar Airways introduces new direct flights to Pattaya | The world’s most ‘stressed’ cities | Phuket drugged-up bus driver to lose license.
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An autopsy will be performed on South Korean actor Kim Joo-hyuk
An autopsy will be performed on actor Kim Joo-hyuk who passed away after a car crash Monday afternoon in Seoul. Gangnam Police station said Tuesday morning that it has asked the National Forensic Service to conduct an autopsy on Kim in order to verify the exact cause of his death. Police also said a court order for the autopsy was…
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Less stress? Don’t come to Asia.
So you’re looking for the world’s least stressful cities? Better look outside Asia then according to this new list. The 2017 Global Least & Most Stressful Cities Ranking by online laundry service Zipjet ranked 150 cities around the world based on a range of factors including average annual sunshine hours, population density and green space, traffic and air pollution, unemployment,…
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Qatar adds Pattaya to its flights to Thailand
Qatar Airways out of Doha says they’re responding to increased customer demand for services to Thailand by launching direct flights to Pattaya, the airline’s fifth route to the country. The new four-times-a-week service, which kicks off next January is in addition to the airline’s existing direct flights to Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket and soon to be launched, Chiang Mai. The service…
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The Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha reopen for visitors
Tourists are flocking back to Bangkok’s most popular tourist attractions Tourists flocked to visit the jewels in the crown of the capital’s tourist attractions, the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, after their reopening to visitors on Monday. The Royal Household Bureau last month announced that both would be closed to all tourists from October 1-29 as…
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Farang ‘possessed’ during Masong ritual at Vegetarian Festival
PHOTO: Facebook/Nanny Zaa Pk On the night of October 28, the final night of this year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival, a Facebook user by the name of ‘Nanny Zaa Pk’, also known as Sutthicha Sutthakorn posted a 30 second video showing a western girl shaking her head with her eyes closed, in a similar fashion Masongs act when they claim they’re…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 30
Royal Relics delivered to their final resting place | Body found in Chalong hills | Criminal case against Yingluck is over | Road Toll during Royal Cremation very low | Design gaff at Phuket International Airport.
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Concrete truck falls 30 metres off cliff
The concrete truck was driven by 31 year old Suriya Pattasri fell off a 30 metre cliff yesterday (October 29), after he was unable to change the gear and the truck slipped backwards to the cliff near the deep-sea port in Wichit. Luckily, the driver jumped clear of the truck before it fell although he received some minor injuries in…
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Myanmar rallies in support of Army while the rest of the world condemn
Military songs rang out across downtown Yangon Sunday as tens of thousands rallied in defence of Myanmar’s army, an institution accused by the global community of driving Rohingya Muslims from the country. More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled western Rakhine state to Bangladesh since late August when raids by militants from the minority group were met with ruthless army “clearance…
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12 months of mourning finishes tonight (Sunday)
After a year and two weeks, Thailand completes it’s 12 months of official mourning following the passing of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 13, 2016. A year of black mourning clothes, displays, artworks, ceremonies, events and grief – allowing the Thai people time to contemplate the passing of the ’father of modern Thailand’ as well as ‘what comes…
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Human bones found on hills overlooking Chalong
Human bones were found yesterday (October 28) by a local who was looking for wild jungle products. Local Toi Kerdsomboon found the skull under a big tree. The bones were about 230 metres up a hill nearby the dam and behind Luang Pu Supha temple. A team from Chalong police and Vachira Phuket Hospital inspected the bones but but were…
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LIVE stream from Bangkok for today’s ceremonies
There is an English language stream. Select at the bottom right of the screen.
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Lady in black. And red.
Remember our lady turned away from a US function in honour of the Late King Rama 9? The lady defied the ‘black & tasteful’ dress code and arrived in her own version of ‘black’ along with a few accessories. Link here… https://www.facebook.com/maizingGpee.Official/videos/542699439405074/ Well, her journalist husband (a Pulitzer Prize nominee) has gone full Op Ed and fired back at the…
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Drugged-up driver trying to harm Rawai tourists
Late yesterday afternoon (October 27), a bus driver from a tour company, 35 year old Suthon Klasamuth, went ‘crazy’ after allegedly taking methamphetamine and tried to harm tourists and others gathered around the windmill viewpoint in Rawai overlooking Nai Harn Beach and the Andaman Sea. After being contacted, Rawai Municipality officers did their best to try and calm him down.…
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Dead body of a deputy mayor’s brother found in Saphan Hin
The dead body of 53 year old Sanit Kumban was found floating in the sea of Saphan Hin, approximately 300 – 500 metres away from the shore today (October 27). The team of water police and Kusoldham Phuket brought him back to land and found a brown leather bag and a clothes bag with the body. The man was wearing…
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Five tips for TEFL job seekers in Phuket
by Eric Haeg, Course Director of TEFL Campus TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) October is a fantastic month for finding a job teaching English in Thailand. The start of the second term is just around the corner and schools across Phuket need to fill dozens of vacancies. That may come as good news to job seekers, but the best…
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