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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Who is The Thaiger?
Formed in 2018 as a digital rebrand of The Phuket Gazette, one of Thailand’s largest and most well-known English language regional print newspapers, The Thaiger expanded beyond local Phuket news, going nationwide. Our Thai language offering was launched just a year later and has long since surpassed the readership of the English news, with local Thais coming to read about…
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Tunisia’s first female PM: Mere symbolism or credible change?
After Wednesday’s appointment of geology professor Najla Bouden Romdhane as the first female prime minister in the Arab World, the 63-year-old is facing mixed feelings in Tunisia. While some wonder if Bouden could become the symbol of women’s progress and empowerment in Tunisia and the Middle East, others fear that President Kais Saied might exploit her limited political experience to…
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Afghanistan: Why has ICC excluded US from war crimes probe?
The call by prosecutor Karim Khan to resume an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into potential war crimes committed in Afghanistan is a development many human rights defenders are applauding after the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country. Until now the investigation covered crimes alleged to have been committed on the territory of Afghanistan since May 1, 2003, as well…
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Myanmar: What can we expect from Aung San Suu Kyi trial?
On February 1, 2021, the day the Myanmar military toppled the nation’s democratically elected government in a coup, Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested. Since then, the country’s most prominent politician and pro-democracy advocate has once again been under house arrest. She had already been under house arrest, with interruptions, for a total of 15 years between 1989 and 2012.…
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Phuket entry update October 1: Checkpoints, testing, vaccines
Starting tomorrow, the rules for entering (and exiting) Phuket are changing. The Phuket Sandbox will be reducing the time arriving international travellers must stay on the island to one week, meaning they won’t need as many Covid-19 tests as well. But revisions also go into effect for domestic travellers and overland entry onto the island, making it easier for tourism…
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Mombasa’s no-nonsense female rickshaw driver
In Mombasa’s Old Town Farida Shenga starts her day tidying up her rickshaw. Shenga became a rickshaw driver in 2005 after her husband died, leaving her as the family’s sole breadwinner. After buying a new rickshaw with a friend, she then had to learn how to use it. On the road, she is an iron lady: careful, but tough. Men…
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Pakistan: Will a Premier League partnership jumpstart professional football?
Michael Owen, a former England national team and Real Madrid football player, has signed a three year contract to promote football in Pakistan, with a Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) approved league. However, PFF, the country’s controversial football governing body, is not recognized by FIFA. Owen last week was announced as the official ambassador of the Pakistan Football League (PFL), launched…
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Thursday Covid Update: 11,646 new cases; provincial totals
107 Covid-related deaths were reported today by the CCSA, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 16,727 with 16,633 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, 11,646 new Covid-19 cases and 10,887 recoveries were reported. There are now 116,075 people in Thailand currently receiving treatment…
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Police arrest man believed to have shot teenager at protest
In Kanchanaburi province, police have arrested a suspect that they believe may have shot a 15 year old boy during protests in front of the Din Daeng Police Station in August. The shooting caused huge controversy with many accusing the police of using live ammunition and firing into the crowd of protesters. Police have always maintained that they used only…
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Updated regulations on Thailand’s quarantine period for international arrivals
Starting tomorrow, the mandatory quarantine period for vaccinated travellers entering Thailand will be reduced from 14 days to seven. Those who are either unvaccinated, or who cannot show proof of their vaccination status, face a longer quarantine period of between 10 to 14 days. The mandatory isolation period is waived for vaccinated travellers entering Thailand through the pilot reopening projects…
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Rumour dispelled: The UN did not dedicate December 5 as ‘King’s Day’
Despite a rumour and video going viral on Thai Facebook and Twitter, the UN has NOT declared December 5 “international king’s day” in honour of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama 9, the former King who died in 2016 after over 70 years reigning over Thailand. The information came to light following a ‘fact checking’ article published by AFP. The post began…
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Thailand inks deal for 60 million AstraZeneca vaccines in 2022
A new deal signed with AstraZeneca confirms the purchase of 60 million vaccines next year for Thailand to use as booster shot third vaccines. The Ministry of Public Health signed the deal with the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer to acquire the booster shots over the course of 3 quarters of 2022. The signing was accompanied by a ceremony attended by Minister…
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Prayut visits flooding Nonthaburi today, Chaiyaphum yesterday
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to visit the flooding in areas of Nonthaburi province this afternoon according to a government spokesperson. The prime minister is visiting along with his delegation to survey the damage and inspect the situation on the ground. The group will start at the pier of the Pak Kret municipal office and board a boat to navigate…
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Pickup truck falls 6 stories from 8th floor parking garage
In a bizarre accident in Nakhon Ratchasima that amazingly resulted in only 2 injuries and no deaths, a pickup truck smashed through a wall and plummeted 6 floors. The truck crash took place last night in Muang district on the 8th floor of a hospital parking building. The crash took place at about 7 o’clock in the evening at the…
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“Sandbox” period in Phuket shortened to 7 days for vaccinated travellers
With the recently relaxed rules on the quarantine period for overseas arrivals, those who enter Thailand under the “Phuket Sandbox” will only be required to stay in the province for seven days instead of the previous 14. The “Sandbox” pilot reopening project allows vaccinated travellers from abroad to roam freely on the island rather than isolate in a hotel. The…
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Phuket Covid-19: hospital beds and occupants jumped this week
One new death from Covid-19 was reported in Phuket last night, along with a new Sandbox infection and another arrival from abroad that was not part of the Sandbox and 195 daily infections. September has seen 55 deaths, bringing the total to 75. Among Phuket Sandbox travellers, 116 infections have now been uncovered as well as 26 infections from abroad…
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Ivermectin poisonings increase in the US, ineffective for Covid-19
In a recent report, the Financial Times said that reported poisonings and serious adverse health effects have more than doubled from Americans consuming the controversial drug Ivermectin, falsely believing it is a cure for Covid-19. The antiparasitic drug, commonly used in veterinary science, with limited applications for use on humans, has been touted by some as a vaccine-free solution to…
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Minister Don meets US officials over vaccine donation to Thailand
In Washington DC, Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US Senator Tammy Duckworth to discuss the 1 million Pfizer vaccines the US donated that Thailand has yet to collect. Last week both sides argued that they were waiting on the other’s bureaucratic red tape to complete the donation, with Minister of…
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Thursday Covid Update: 11,646 new cases and 107 deaths
Today, the CCSA reported a slight uptick of 11,646 new Covid-19 cases and 107 coronavirus-related deaths. Since April 1, in Thailand’s latest wave of the virus, the CCSA has reported a total of 1,574,612 confirmed Covid-19 cases. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 10,887 recoveries. There are now 116,075 people in Thailand currently receiving…
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Indonesian officials look to Phuket sandbox amid tentative re-opening plans for Bali
Tourism officials in Indonesia are monitoring the Phuket sandbox as they consider gradually re-opening Bali to foreign tourists. According to an AFP report, a final decision on re-opening the normally hugely popular island of Bali could happen today. However, the country’s tourism minister, Sandiaga Uno, says any re-opening will have to proceed with caution. “My recommendation is that we move…
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Plans for digital or crypto assets – the TAT Coin – to grow tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is considering jumping into the world of digital assets by launching its own tourism-based utility token called the TAT Coin. Crypto is often looked at as the way of the future, and traders are considered high-value, big-spending tourists, especially those that work as digital nomads and stay long-term. Discussions are underway with the Securities and…
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Opinion: Sweden continues to stand out on COVID-19 strategy
Seen from the outside, all Scandinavians seem to resemble each other: very progressive, accustomed to affluence and a high standard of living, and they pay extremely high taxes on beer. But all this is, of course, nonsense. In reality, there are differences between individual Scandinavian nations that run as deep as a Norwegian fjord. It starts with the fact that…
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Indian Right Livelihood winner: ‘Blurred lines between ecology and human rights’
Ritwick Dutta, a founding lawyer of the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE), which works with communities through a grassroots approach, was thrilled to receive the Right Livelihood Award. “Our work is not so publicized and to be honored in this way is definitely a recognition of the fight against some of India’s most significant environmental threats,” Dutta told…
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Police arrest protesters yesterday including naked woman
Anti-government protests have escalated in recent weeks and have begun to resemble a Hollywood movie, full of conflict and drama and explosions, and now… nudity? Among the arrests and charges of protesters stemming from yesterday’s demonstrations at Nang Lerng intersection orchestrated by the Talufah group, police say one woman faces charges of indecent exposure for stripping naked in protest. The…
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The music uniting Tigrayan soldiers and refugees amidst conflict / The Tigrayan musical traditions helping soldiers and refugees heal
A conflict between the central government in Ethiopia and the northern region of Tigray has spawned a dire humanitarian situation. Amid widespread famine and death over the past year, Tigrayan soldiers and refugees alike have taken comfort in the healing power of their own musical traditions. Reporter Emily Johnson met with some of the musicians at a refugee camp in…
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Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: What’s the latest?
After months of rising tensions, fighting broke out in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region in November 2020, pitting Tigrayan forces against the central government and forces from neighboring Eritrea. Nearly a year later, both sides face allegations of human rights abuses as the conflict continues. William Davison, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, updates us on the situation. SOURCE: DW…
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The music spurring on Tigrayan soldiers and refugees
A conflict between the central government in Ethiopia and the northern region of Tigray has spawned a dire humanitarian situation. Amid widespread famine and death over the past year, Tigrayan soldiers and refugees alike have taken comfort in the healing power of their own musical traditions. Reporter Emily Johnson met with some of the musicians at a refugee camp in…
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Paramotor pilot flies supplies to flooded Sukhothai residents
A paramotor – similar to a paraglider with a fan-like propellor on the back – has been soaring above Sukhothai delivering essentials to flood victims in need. Like Santa in his sleigh, 38 year old Vichai Tiyasan glides above the rain drench flood plains swooping down to drop gift care packages to the stranded people below. The adventurous paramotor pilot…
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New tax to raise cigarette prices by around 8 baht per pack
Packs of cigarettes are going to get a little more expensive. The Thai Cabinet just approved a new excise tax structure for cigarettes. Retail prices for a pack are expected to rise by 6 to 8 baht. The Finance Minister says the new tax structure is expected to go into effect on Friday, but it still needs to be published…
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Guinea’s coup leaders try to keep investors happy
In the view of one official working in Guinea for the Russian aluminum giant Rusal, the military coup of September 5, which toppled President Alpha Conde, has not disrupted the mining sector as much an some had predicted. “Everything is stable, business is going on,” he told he told news agency AFP. “It’s just a transition period we are going…
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