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 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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Health official defends quality of antigen test kits, acknowledges shortcomings
The head of the Department of Medical Sciences has defended the quality of Lepu antigen test kits, while acknowledging their limitations. The Bangkok Post reports that Dr Supakit Sirilak was responding to complaints that the kits are less accurate and generate false Covid-19 results. Supakit says the kits are not as reliable as PCR testing in which samples are analysed…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s televised address, translated in English
The following is PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s televised address to the nation, translated by the Thai government’s public relations department. My fellow citizens, brothers, and sisters: In the last one-and-half years, we have lived with some of the greatest peacetime challenges our country has ever faced in its history, brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, and one that has left nobody…
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Koh Samui sees surge in sandbox bookings for October
Tourism officials on Koh Samui say its sandbox programme has received a boost following the lifting of its 3-day quarantine. According to a Bangkok Post report, new bookings in the first 10 days of October have already surpassed the total number of bookings since the island re-opened on July 15. Ratchaporn Poolsawadee from the Tourism Association of Koh Samui adds…
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Thailand to lift quarantine for vaccinated tourists from low-risk countries
From November 1, fully vaccinated tourists from at least 10 “low-risk” countries will be allowed enter Thailand without quarantine. According to a Bangkok Post report, the proposal was confirmed by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in a televised address last night. “The time has come for us to ready ourselves to face the coronavirus and live with it as with other endemic…
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AfricaLink On Air – 11 October 2021
News+++ Sankara trial begins in Burkina Faso+++South Africa fears COVID surge as local election campaigns start+++Rwanda’s circumcision plan to stop HIV+++Flavored ARVs in Kenya help children take HIV medication+++Sports SOURCE: DW News
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Kashmir: Minority killings increase amid violent demographic tensions
Last week, two Hindu schoolteachers and a pharmacist in Srinagar were killed by militants who claimed their victims were right-wing Hindu nationalists implementing New Delhi’s “occupation designs” for Kashmir. Their deaths are part of a recent spate of killings, which are being blamed on an Islamist militant insurgency challenging New Delhi’s rule in the restive region. Hindus, also called “Pandits”…
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BREAKING: Vaccinated travellers from 10 countries allowed to enter without quarantine starting November 1
Starting November 1, vaccinated travellers from 10 countries, including the US and UK, will be able to enter Thailand without undergoing quarantine, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced tonight. Travellers will need to show proof that they are vaccinated against Covid-19 and will need to test negative for the virus both before departure and upon arrival. This is a developing story.
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Shazia Batool: Woman with polio uses art to empower others
Shazia Batool remains undeterred by polio and is striving to promote the rights of women and people with disabilities in Pakistan’s Balochistan region. SOURCE: DW News
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Afghanistan: What will the Taliban do without an enemy to fight?
In the first half of August, Taliban forces toppled the previous, internationally backed Afghan government in a lightning offensive. This swept Taliban fighters, who had spent years “in the mountains” — an often literal euphemism for waging guerrilla warfare — into cities, towns, and regular army bases abandoned by former government forces. Now, the militant group wants to build “strong…
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Police in Central Thailand raid party, arrest 220 teenagers
Police raided a large party in the central province Saraburi and arrested 220 teenagers yesterday for violating Covid-19 prevention measures. Officers say they raided a popular entertainment venue that has been shutdown for years, but the space has been used illegally for underground parties. After an anonymous tip, the Nong Khae Police suppression team searched the venue, and found a…
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Rediscover Thailand with IsWhere – An easy-to-use travel recovery application
Sponsored Article IsWhere is a self-service digital marketing campaign that has signed an agreement with a Singapore-based IsWhere to easily reach both domestic and international travellers and speed up travel recovery. Tourism Council is working with IsWhere on a digital marketing platform that is open to all Thai businesses. IsWhere digital marketing platform allows all Government Authorities, travel merchants and…
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Monday Covid Update: 10,035 new cases; provincial totals
60 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the CCSA, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 17,751 with 17,657 of those fatalities during the latest wave of the virus, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,035 new Covid-19 cases and 10,590 recoveries. There are now 110,265…
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Netflix’s “Squid Game” draws concern from Thai police about impact on youth
Thai police are warning youth to not imitate the violent games from the popular Korean series on Netflix “Squid Game.” With people spending more time at home due to tight restrictions, such as curfews and business closures, people are watching more TV shows and movies. The deputy spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police say they are concerned that the violence…
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Covid-19 cases are rising, not falling – CCSA infection numbers called into doubt
The Covid-19 infection numbers being reported by the CCSA are being called into question by the Rural Doctors Society. According to a Thai PBS World report, the RDS argues that the number of daily new cases is going up, not down. According to the report, the society says that yesterday, the CCSA reported 2 figures for new cases – 10,817…
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Government considers tax cut for highly-skilled foreign workers
The Thai government is considering cutting the rate of personal income tax for highly-skilled foreign workers, in order to attract more talent to the kingdom. Ekniti Nitithanprapas from the Revenue Department says officials are mulling the possibility of reducing the rate to 17%. The Bangkok Post reports that the rate of personal income tax in Thailand is based on salary…
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Workers’ rights group calls for “special leave” for Covid-19 patients
An employee rights group says the government should create “special leave” for workers recovering from Covid-19. Suthasinee Kaewleklai from the Migrant Workers Rights Network says that currently, employers are deducting the time from annual leave and sick leave. With leave entitlements maxing out at 30 days, many workers find all their time off is being used up on Covid-19. “Once…
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Communities around the Chao Phraya River see more flooding
Around Thailand, riverside communities have been plagued with flooding as the high tides have raised water levels on the Chao Phraya River. In Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani, there are no floodwalls and residents are being warned against possible flooding again today. The Chao Phraya River will likely reach its highest level of the year with today’s high tide, bringing flooding…
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Pattaya Waterfront Condo building requests to resume construction
An infamous Pattaya eyesore has been scheduled for demolition, but the owners submitted a surprise request to resume construction on the Waterfront Condo building on Bali Hai Pier. The 53-story condominium at the entrance to the Bali Hai Pier has been abandoned for years since 2014 and last September authorities served a legal demolition order against the owners of the…
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NIDA poll calls for PM Prayut to quit, House dissolve, Cabinet reshuffle
With the upcoming election, a new poll from the National Institute of Development Administration found that 40% of people feel PM Prayut Chan-o-cha should announce he is quitting as prime minister by next August. The NIDA poll asked political opinions from 1,311 people of various occupations and educations levels nationwide by phone on October 5 to 8. The poll addressed…
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Political parties begin to name their nominees for prime minister
Names are beginning to be thrown around as each political party plans their nomination for the next prime minister of Thailand. The Palang Pracharath Party currently ruling have chosen to nominate current prime minister PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, who does not belong to a political party, instead of their own party leader, though rumours say they are preparing one or two…
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November reopening to international tourists predicts 1.5 trillion baht
Bangkok and areas in 4 key provinces are set to reopen on November 1 and the government is predicting that will lead to 1.5 trillion baht in tourism revenue for 2022. The goal is to open without quarantine restrictions for international tourists, barring any unforeseen surge in Covid-19 infections too dire to contain. A government spokesperson said that a total…
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Arrested Chon Buri man claims to be close friend of PM Prayut
When Chon Buri police attempted to take a belligerent man into custody, the man gave a unique excuse of why he should be let go: he is a “close personal friend” of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The 54 year old man was reported to be running along the road, shouting and threatening people walking on the street and attacking cars randomly.…
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Thailand nabs many spots in Conde Nast Traveler’s annual list
Despite the decimated tourism economy due to Covid-19, Conde Nast Traveler still ranks locations in Thailand amongst the top in the world in their annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Bangkok was ranked 9th in the world’s “Best Big Cities” while 3 of the top 10 islands of Asia were located in Thailand, and Hua Hin earned a nod for having the…
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High Covid-19 infections in the Deep South fuel lockdown fears
The Deep South of Thailand, particularly Songkhla and Pattani, has seen a surge in Covid-19 infections, prompting calls for action and fears of lockdowns to come. Covid-19 clusters have been mainly centred in factories and businesses, with outbreaks traced to a wedding banquet and a barbecue restaurant, but some cases are still crossing provincial lines into the southern provinces. Chana,…
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Croatian politicians deny culpability in border pushbacks
Standing in the Croatian parliament in front of a dozen TV cameras, Sandra Bencic asked the question of the day: “Do we want to live in a state in which lawless groups run around beating people up?” Bencic, who leads the left-wing green opposition party Mozemo (We Can), called on Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to explain what is happening at…
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Let’s talk about sex, habibi!
Traditionally, in most Middle Eastern countries, “it” is expected to happen on the wedding night for the first time. “But for most women, this is also the first time they are naked in front of anyone and the first time they see a penis in real life,” Nour Emam, who runs Arab-English sex education courses, told DW. One doesn’t have…
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Is Europe ready for a post-COVID migration wave?
For the many in Europe who have weathered the waves of the coronavirus pandemic, being in a crowd once again is a surreal feeling. As European countries emerge from the peaks of the pandemic, the masks are off and lockdowns seem to be a thing of the past. With high vaccination rates, many European Union countries are facing a brave…
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2 foreign men arrested for stealing card data for ATM fraud
A Romanian man and a Malaysian man have been arrested in Hua Hin for allegedly skimming data from hundreds of credit cards and using the card information to withdraw cash from ATMs in the Bangkok and Hua Hin area. The two men, aged 39 and 33 respectively, were arrested by investigators from the Immigration Bureau at a hotel in the…
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FTI warns Thailand must reopen to international tourists
With such a long time since tourists were welcomed into Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries fears that potential tourists may be wandering away from Thailand. The FTI chairman warned that the window may be closing to still attract these travellers. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but as Thailand’s closure to most international travellers stretches to more…
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Family of man killed by Swiss man claims 300,000 baht missing
After a Swiss man beat an intruding Thai man to death claiming self-defence, the family of the deceased claimed it was not a robbery but rather a confrontation involving an affair with the Swiss man’s wife. Now the mother of the man who was beaten to death claims that nearly 300,000 baht went missing during the incident at the Swiss…
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