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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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10 biggest challenges retirees face in Thailand (and how to overcome them)
Retiring in Thailand comes with many benefits, like warm weather, affordable living, and a rich culture. However, it also brings challenges. Retirees must deal with visa rules, healthcare costs, language barriers, and cultural differences. Rising medical expenses, required insurance, and...
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Bars are closed in Bangkok… but not on Khao San Road
The Thai government says bars are closed, and will be until mid-January, but if you look hard enough you’ll find many are open… and packed. Over the weekend, the entrance to Bangkok’s notorious Khao San Road was blocked with a Covid-19 checkpoint. To get on the street to party, people needed to show proof of vaccination or test negative for…
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Heavy rain and landslide cause villas at Koh Samui resort to collapse
Heavy rain and landslides caused several villas at a resort on Koh Samui to collapse on Saturday. Torrential rain over the past several days flooded several areas on the island and, according to weather reports, rain is expected to continue for the next few days. The landslide hit the Merit Resort Samui early Saturday morning. The resort’s general manager described…
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Cambodia ends quarantine for vaccinated arrivals from today
Cambodian PM, Hun Sen, has announced that from today, vaccinated arrivals will no longer be required to carry out mandatory quarantine. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM confirmed the decision in a voice recording on social media. Cambodia has been imposing mandatory quarantine on foreign arrivals for the last 18 months. The country’s leader says this will no…
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Covid-19 still a concern for upcoming Loy Krathong festival
The Loy Krathong festival is set to take place this Friday in Thailand. But according to a recent poll, a number of Thais are concerned that the Covid-19 measures in place are inadequate, and that another wave of infections because of the festival is possible. These concerns are making people hesitant to participate in the festivities. Last month, PM Prayut…
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2 anti-government protesters shot in Bangkok as German embassy accepts letter from activists
At least 2 anti-government protesters were shot during yesterday’s rally in Bangkok, which culminated with activists delivering a letter to the German Embassy. (Some reports in Thai media say 3 protesters were shot.) Protest leader Thatchapong Kaedam said the letter informed the embassy of a recent Constitutional Court verdict that ruled that 3 activists were guilty of plotting to overthrow…
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Indonesia: Exchanging plastic for books
A librarian on the Indonesian island of Java has started a mobile library, lending children books in exchange for trash. It develops their awareness of the environment — and they get to read more at the same time. SOURCE: DW News
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Protesters march to German embassy, present statement against monarchy
Today saw a large and intense pro-democracy demonstration that culminated in a march to the German embassy where protesters submitted a statement against absolute monarchy. When they arrived, 3 representatives of the protesters were allowed to enter the embassy and officially present the declaration which stated that they were calling for a protection of democracy and an opposition to a…
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Pattaya sees big tourism growth, but mostly domestic
Pattaya has been frustrated for being passed over for an exemption from the national alcohol ban that other tourist areas like Phuket have received as a tourism “Blue Zone”, but nevertheless, one of Thailand’s most popular resort cities is seeing tourism slowly emerge from its Covid-19 pandemic induced slumber. With a menu of events through the end of the year,…
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Phuket post-Sandbox arrivals double, surge in domestic tourism
Thailand has only been reopened for 2 weeks, but the Phuket Sandbox was the tourism experiment that started it all. And though Phuket has been welcoming international travellers since way back in July, the November 1 reopening saw a noticeable boost in arriving visitors, both foreign and domestic. The Sandbox scheme that required a soft quarantine where travellers could roam…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY UPDATE: Vaccinations, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 7,079 new Covid-19 infections, up 22 since yesterday, and 47 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 8 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,989,547 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,917 recoveries, down 476 from…
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Bulgaria’s expats pushing for reforms as country votes
“Whether we mention Bulgaria in Chicago or Sofia, we do it with love,” says Wanya Kramer, who has lived in the US for 20 years. Together with advertising experts in her home country and activists who, like her, live and work abroad, she’s organized the “You have the right to Bulgaria” campaign. It has aimed to encourage Bulgarian expats to…
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Tourism in Thailand is slowly returning, still a long road ahead
Though the government’s expected flood of tourists entering Thailand since the reopening 2 weeks ago has been closer to a trickle, businesses are seeing a bit of an uptick in tourism. Still, they are calling on the government to loosen Covid-19 restrictions and asking for federal financial programs to be extended and expanded to help speed recovery. The president of…
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COVID-19 SUNDAY: 47 deaths, 7,079 new infections
Today, the CCSA reported 7,079 new Covid-19 infections, up 22 since yesterday, and 47 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 8 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,989,547 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,917 recoveries, down 476 from…
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Phuket to get 3 new tourist attractions
4 months after the launch of the Phuket Sandbox, a pilot reopening scheme that has now morphed into a country-wide reopening plan for international travellers, the local Phuket government are talking about spending 100 million baht on new landmarks to help attract tourists. The first of 3 landmark projects is a glass skywalk which would allow visitors to walk along…
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Border crisis: Baltics and Poland blame Belarus
Reports from the border between Poland and Belarus are becoming more and more tragic. On Saturday, Polish TV station TVN reported that the body of a young Syrian man aged about 20 had been found in the forest near Wolka Terechowska. “The cause of death has not yet been determined,” a newsreader said, citing Polish border guards. It also reported…
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Van full of marijuana leads police on chase in Nakhon Phanom
Police in tambon Tha Uthen in the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom signalled a van to pull over at a checkpoint at Ban Na Nua village after noticing it had Bangkok licence plates and wanting to search it. But officers were surprised when the van instead sped away, as they quickly raced after the car in hot pursuit. After a…
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La Palma volcano: Residents fear for their future
After 20 years in La Palma, Leonardo Rodriguez is packing his bags and preparing to bid goodbye to his home. It won’t be easy. Together with his partner and their two cats, the chef plans to start a new life at the end of the month on the Spanish mainland in Granada. Rodriguez has already been promised a job there.…
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Unlicensed construction may be cause of Koh Larn resort death
A simple and tragic case of a girl who was found dead in her resort bathroom on the popular holiday island of Koh Larn has taken a twist as officials say the property had no construction license. Though the first information released about her death last week implied a night of heavy drinking led to a fatal accident, poor building…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: Provincial Totals
Today, the CCSA reported 7,057 new Covid-19 infections, down 248 since yesterday, and 55 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 4 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,982,458 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 7,393 recoveries, up 507 from…
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‘Joe Ferrari’ and 6 other police, face death penalty
Thitisan Utthanaphon, aka. Joe Ferrari, along with 6 other police, will be indicted this week over 4 charges relating to the alleged torture and subsequent murder of a 24 year old drug suspect. The 7 police now facing official charges are… Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon (head of the station) Pol Maj Rawirot Ditthong Pol Capt Songyot Khlainak Pol Lt Thoranin…
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Thitisan ‘Joe Ferrari’ and his officers now facing death penalty
The 7 police officers including Pol Col Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon, who were arrested after a video leaked of them suffocating a suspect to death during interrogation, will now face full charges as the Attorney-General has given the go-ahead to begin prosecution. The 7 will be tried for multiple charges including premeditated murder by means of torture, coercion, illegal detention,…
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COVID-19 SATURDAY: 55 deaths, 7,057 new infections
Today, the CCSA reported 7,057 new Covid-19 infections, down 248 since yesterday, and 55 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 4 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,982,458 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 7,393 recoveries, up 507 from…
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Nigerian interfaith women’s group awarded Aachen Peace Prize
“We were so happy, we are still happy and will continue to be happy,” exclaimed Daharatu Ahmed Aliyu. “And now we are international superstars!” added Elizabeth Majinya Abuk from the background, laughing. The two women arrived in Germany from Nigeria two days before they will receive the award on behalf of their organization: Women’s Interfaith Council (WIC). The women’s organization…
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France: Far-right TV star Eric Zemmour shakes up presidential race
Until a few months ago, France’s next presidential election was largely expected to be a predictable duel between President Emmanuel Macron and the leader of the far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National), Marine Le Pen. That was until Eric Zemmour, a far-right French commentator and TV celebrity, burst onto the political scene and sparked a media frenzy with inflammatory views on…
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Iran: President Raisi’s hardline government stalling on progress
Conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi was inaugurated as Iran’s sixth president in August, coming into office an uncompromising hardliner contrasting with his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani. As a supporter and close confidant of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Raisi can count on the backing of Iran’s parliament, where hardliners have held a majority since early 2020. Raisi began his term pledging a “revolutionary”…
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A German photographer’s unique images of the Spanish Civil War
To escape from Nazi Germany, Walter Reuter moved to Spain in 1933. There, he documented the civil war from start to finish. Thousands of the images he captured were discovered only in 2016 and are still being studied. SOURCE: DW News
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The 77 Percent – The controversy surrounding bridal payment in Africa
Host: Isaac Kaledzi SOURCE: DW News
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The 77 Percent — The controversy around bride price in Africa
Host: Isaac Kaledzi SOURCE: DW News
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