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. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored Thailand vs. the West: What expats save on healthcare each year
Healthcare in Thailand is much cheaper than in Western countries, making it a great choice for expatriates looking for affordable medical care. Both public and private healthcare options offer high-quality services, with savings of up to 80% on procedures like...
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Watchdogs call for investigation into ties between Myanmar arms broker and junta leader
Watchdog groups are calling for an investigation into the relationship between an arrested Burmese businessman in Thailand and Myanmar’s junta leader. The campaign group Justice for Myanmar, and other similar groups, are calling for a probe into their ties and to block their access to Thailand’s financial system. The calls come after arms broker Tun Min Latt, 53, and three…
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Legal casino in Thailand to be considered again tomorrow
The Casino Committee of Thailand reported it will discuss legal casino and entertainment complexes at a city council meeting tomorrow in a bid to gain approval from the Cabinet. The Thai government has been discussing the potential establishment of a legal casino and entertainment complex since the last year. To evaluate the casino industry, a special committee has been established…
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Condos priced under US$300,000 in Bangkok close to BTS Skytrain (2023)
Bangkok is a vibrant and exciting city, offering a unique blend of modern luxury and traditional culture. With so many great attractions and amenities, it’s no wonder that so many people are looking to make the city their home. One of the most attractive options for those looking to live in Bangkok is to purchase a condo. With an abundance…
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Saucy Singapore: nation in the top 5 for 4 fetishes
Recently, an infographic detailing the most popular fetishes around the world has been doing the rounds again, causing quite a stir in Singapore. The graphic, created by casino website SlotsUp using data from Google Trends, shows the top countries for 20 different fetishes, though it is unclear when exactly the data was collected. The graphic was initially posted in 2021,…
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11 victims injured in collision after car drives against traffic flow
A 21 year old man caused a six-car collision on a road in Bangkok by driving his Volvo hatchback against the flow of traffic and crashing into a pickup on Christmas Day. Eleven people were injured as a result of his actions. The result of the suspect’s alcohol and drug test has not been made public. Pattheera Datepae, a relative…
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Hong Kong woman faces charges of reckless driving after crashing into Phuket vendor
A Hong Kong woman faces charges of reckless driving after she crashed into a Phuket som tam vendor in Koh Kaew yesterday. The incident happened on the northbound lane of Thep Kassattri Road. CCTV footage showed that the sedan crashed into the motorbike sidecar vendor, along with two motorbikes. Phuket City Police arrived on the scene to find the damaged…
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Indian flight departs with 55 passengers left on bus
Every flight passenger hates being packed into a busy terminal transport bus from the gate to the stairs before climbing onto their aeroplane. But on Monday morning 55 passengers crammed onto a bus and sat there for an hour while their flight forgot about them and took off. The incident took place in India on a flight operated by budget…
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Thailand enacts law to prevent recidivism among sexual and violent offenders
Thailand will implement a law later this month that aims at preventing recidivism among prisoners put away for violent or sexual offences after their release from prison. Yesterday, government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said in a Cabinet meeting that the Measures to Prevent Recidivism of Sexual and Violent Crimes Act (2022) will come into force on January 23. The new act requires…
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Grandparents kidnap 3 year old boy from his parents
A married couple filed a complaint with the police after their son’s grandparents kidnapped him. The 3 year old boy’s mother, Kuntika, wants to take her son home after witnessing a dramatic change in his behaviour. The parents noticed the boy is displaying unruly, attention-seeking behaviour, and self-harming, and has lost his appetite since moving in with his grandparents. Pakasit,…
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Floating Yona Beach Club told to cease and wait
A floating beach club barge in Phuket has now been ordered to cease all operations until it gets the full approval it has been seeking to anchor and operate in Patong Bay. Yona Beach Club has been operating with an expired registration and without approval while it waits. The 500-gross-ton vessel housing the beach club, called the Sawasdee, has luxury…
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Govt to introduce 300 baht tourist fee in June
The government announced plans to introduce its long-mooted 300 baht tourist fee for foreign visitors in June. The tourism fee was originally planned to be imposed on foreign travellers at the beginning of last year but the idea was put on hold after the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant and details of how the government planned to collect the…
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Officials beautifying Koh Samui’s Fisherman’s Village, hoping to catch more tourists
Officials are giving Koh Samui’s Fisherman’s Village a makeover to help businesses catch more tourists. Yesterday, officials started sprucing up Beach Road in Bo Phut with landscape improvements, and general cleaning. The goal of the makeover is to reel in up to 5 million baht of cash for local street vendors. Tourism operators hope to bring out the old charm…
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Discover the legends of Thailand’s spooky ghosts
Ghosts have been a part of folklore and mythology for centuries, and Southeast Asia is no exception. In Thailand, a variety of supernatural beings are believed to exist, from mischievous pranksters to vengeful spirits. Among them are Phi Kong Khao, Krasue, Phi Pop, Phi Ta Khon, and Phi Nang Mai. Each one is unique in appearance and behaviour, with its…
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MOPH to open vaccination centre for foreigners
The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) plans to offer Covid-19 vaccines for foreigners at Bang Rak Medical Centre in Bangkok for about 1,000 baht. The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced on Wednesday, December 28 that he planned to give free booster shots to foreigners but added it would need Cabinet approval in January. The proposal was seen…
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New Zealand district in state of local emergency dealing with ex-cyclone Hale’s wrath
A New Zealand district is under a state of local emergency after ex-cyclone Hale’s wrath pushed a major river toward breaching its banks. The Tairāwhiti Civil Defence declared the emergency as the Hikuwai River has reached a height of 12.5 metres yesterday. It was expected to reach 13 metres by midnight yesterday. Families are self-evacuating due to the risk of…
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Power bank catches fire on flight to Singapore
A power bank caught fire on a Scoot flight from Taipei to Singapore, injuring two passengers on board. Flight TR933 was just beginning its journey from Taipei’s Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport yesterday evening when the power bank overheated, causing pandemonium. The Scoot flight was forced to return to the gate before takeoff due to a fire…
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Mutant mosquitoes a growing threat in Asia
New research warns that mosquitoes that transmit viruses such as dengue in parts of Asia have evolved and grown resistant to insecticides. Experts warn new methods to control them are urgently needed. Insecticide-resistant mosquitoes have been a known problem for years, but studies are now showing the scope is much larger than previously understood. Fogging-infested areas may no longer be…
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Thailand to track cannabis users in government database
Thai nationals will soon be required to show their ID cards when purchasing cannabis flowers. The ID and sales information will be entered into a government database, according to the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM). Registered vendors will be required to insert the buyers’ ID into a “device” linked with the government system and input information regarding…
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Bentley driver cleared of being drunk at the wheel in three-car smash
The blood alcohol test of the Bentley driver, who caused a three-car collision last Sunday, reveals he was not drunk at the time of the pile-up. But, the investigating officer from Expressway Police Station 1 has been criticised for not making the driver take a breathalyser test immediately after the incident. Suthat Siwapiromrat crashed his grey Bentley sedan into a…
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Chinese tourists expected to flock back to Phuket and Chiang Mai
Chinese tourists are expected to flock back to Phuket and Chiang Mai after China eased travel restrictions on its citizens on January 8. Now, the two tourism hotspots expect a significant jump in travel on direct flights from China from January 18, according to local airport authorities. There will be one daily direct flight from China to Chiang Mai, and three…
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Pattaya dwellers not happy with homeless living in abandoned building
Pattaya dwellers aren’t too thrilled about homeless people living in an abandoned building in the city. On Monday, local media reported that a group of homeless people were camping at an abandoned building on South Pattaya Road in the Nongprue sub-district of Bang Lamung district. The building was home to a former convenience store that lost business during the Covid-19…
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Woman injured by falling traffic sign on a Pattaya road
A backhoe digger accidentally pulled down some electric wires and a traffic sign, knocking a woman off her motorcycle while she was riding past the spot, on Jomtien Beach Road in Pattaya. The incident happened yesterday, January 10, in front of Soi Jomtien 12 on Jomtien Beach Road in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya. A 46 year old woman…
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German tourist falls near summit of Tiger Cave Temple in southern Thailand
A young German tourist is injured after falling from the top of the stairs at Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi province in southern Thailand yesterday afternoon. At 3pm, Krabi Tourist Police were informed that a German tourist needed medical help after an accident near the summit of the mountain. Rescue workers climbed over 1,000 steps, which took more than one…
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Philippines storms take at least 11 lives in past week
Storms over the past week in the Philippines have reportedly taken at least 11 lives thus far with more heavy rain forecasted. According to Thai PBS World, bad weather has hit the southern and central islands since Christmas weekend. Flooding and landslides have left 52 people dead with hundreds forced to uproot and leave their homes. The Civil Defence Office…
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Cabinet announces change to holiday calendar
The government yesterday announced a change to the Thai holiday calendar. Government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul revealed the Cabinet has declared Friday, May 5, a special holiday, making it a four-day holiday for Coronation Day. The Cabinet agreed to change the date because this year’s Coronation Day falls on a Thursday, reported Bangkok Post. “The long holiday for Coronation Day will…
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Ghosts in Thailand: some eerie sites to explore
Thailand is known for its beautiful beaches, delicious food, and rich culture, but it also has a dark side. Thai culture has long believed in ghosts, some good, some bad. A large percentage of people in modern life are still afraid of ghosts in Thailand and as such, the country has some infamously haunted and eerie places. Here are a…
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Thai police seize 30 kilograms of heroin bound for Hong Kong hidden in puppy pads
Thai authorities seized a sizeable 30 kilograms of heroin yesterday in Samut Prakan province, just north of Bangkok, believed to be headed to Hong Kong. Police arrested a Hong Konger and a Thai national during the raid. Officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) raided a house in the Kanchanaphisek 39 area of Samut Prakan to find…
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Curriculum options available at international schools in Thailand
International schools in Thailand offer a wide range of educational curriculums, each designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their future studies or career paths. These curriculums include the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), and American, British, and French curriculums. Each curriculum has its own strengths and focuses, such as the development…
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Thai AirAsia ranked 3rd most on-time low-cost airline in the world
Thai AirAsia is ranked the third most on-time low-cost airline in the world and the most punctual carrier in Asia-Pacific countries in 2022, according to Cirium, a data analytics company in the aviation and travel industry. The average on-time rate reported by Cirium was 97.47% The Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia, Santisuk Klongchaiya, announced the company’s good news yesterday,…
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Daily direct flights between Phuket and Shanghai to takeoff next week
Daily flights between Phuket in southern Thailand and Shanghai in China will takeoff next Wednesday, January 18, operated by Shanghai’s Juneyao Airlines. The inaugural flight will be the first direct service between Phuket and mainland China in almost three years. China reopened its borders yesterday, and given that China was once Thailand’s top tourism market, Thailand braced itself for an…
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