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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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The Egyptian women reviving an ancient musical tradition
SOURCE: DW News
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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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Court rules for Health Ministry, calls dual pricing beneficial
In a closely-followed court case, the Administrative Court in Phetchaburi ruled that multi-tiered “dual pricing” in Thai hospitals are not discriminatory as they benefit Thailand, according to the media outlet Coconuts Bangkok. Ewrin Buse, who sued the Ministry of Public Health after discovering he was being charged more for his cancer treatment as a foreigner, vowed to appeal the decision.…
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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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Tunisia’s opposition stands up to president’s power grab
At first, they praised him for taking such direct action to resolve Tunisia’s problems. But over the past few days, President Kais Saied has come under increasing pressure from some of his former allies. On July 25, faced with economic turmoil, the COVID-19 pandemic and political gridlock, Saied suspended Tunisia’s parliament, dismissed sitting Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and granted himself…
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Koh Phangan begins booster shot vaccine drive from today
Koh Phangan kicked off its drive to give third booster shot vaccinations to the local population today, ahead of the October target in Thailand, with a goal of 1,300 injections today and more to come. The event took place at the Koh Phangan Sueksa School in Thongsala Moo 1 near Big C. At the school, workers were administering AstraZeneca booster…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 10,414 new cases; provincial totals
122 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 16,620 with 16,526 of those fatalities during the latest wave, first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 10,414 new Covid-19 cases and 11,580 recoveries. There are now 115,423 people in Thailand currently receiving…
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The tragedy of Babi Yar: An assembly line of death in Kyiv
Anna Furman has been able to identify around 28,300 names so far. “In the past year, more than 1,000 new names were added,” the project manager at the Ukrainian Babi Yar Memorial Center told DW. But Furman and her colleagues still have a lot of work to do. Exactly 80 years ago, on September 29 and 30, 1941, the Nazis…
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2021 Right Livelihood winners fight for climate and justice
Marthe Wandou Marthe Wandou has been fighting against sexual violence and promoting women’s and children’s rights in Cameroon for decades. Founded in 1998, her nongovernmental organization, Action Locale pour un Developpement Participatif et Autogere (ALDEPA), applies a holistic approach focusing on education, abuse prevention, and providing psychosocial care as well as legal counsel. ALDEPA also seeks to effect broad societal…
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Constitutional Court delays ruling in landmark marriage equality case
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has postponed ruling on marriage equality, according to the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice. The foundation, better known as the FOR-SOGI organisation, says the ruling has been postponed until December 14. According to a Bangkok Post report, the case concerns section 1448 of Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code. The court was asked…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 10,414 new cases and 122 deaths
Today, the CCSA reported 10,414 new Covid-19 cases and 122 coronavirus related deaths. Since April 1, in Thailand’s latest wave of the virus, the CCSA has reported 1,562,966 confirmed Covid-19 cases. In the past 24-hours since the last count, 11,580 recoveries have been recorded. There are now 115,423 people in Thailand currently receiving treatment for Covid-19. Out of the new cases reported…
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Thai Airways to resume flights to countries with high vaccination rates
Thai Airways says it will start selling seats on flights to highly-vaccinated destinations from October 1. The struggling national carrier expects to resume flights to the UK, France, and Germany, as well as Japan and Australia. The Bangkok Post reports that airline bosses made the decision after several destinations reported vaccination rates of around 70%. Airline spokesman, Chai Eamsiri, says…
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Thailand looks to Indian visitors celebrating Diwali to compensate for lack of Chinese visitors
Thai officials are hoping to capitalise on the upcoming Hindu festival of lights, also known as Diwali, to get Indian tourists into the country and bolster the stagnant tourism sector. The Bangkok Post notes that this expectation is also seen as a way of compensating for a lack of Chinese tourists. Diwali will begin in early November, which coincides with…
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Phuket tourism operators want COE process reformed, other rules amended
Tourism operators on the southern island of Phuket are calling for the certificate of entry process to be reformed in order to attract more sandbox visitors. And, according to Bhummikitti Ruktaengam from the Phuket Tourist Association, they would also like to see changes made to other entry criteria. “Simplifying the certificate of entry process is the first and foremost key…
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Siam Piwat benchmarks MICE industry with “Virtual Inspection” solution, to reinforce its ‘The Icon of Innovative Lifestyle’ vision
Press Release Siam Piwat launches “Virtual Inspection” and “Online Reservation” for its convention spaces, a MICE industry benchmark. Offering absolute exhibition and event destinations, now event organizers from across the globe can virtually inspect the convention spaces and conveniently make instant online reservations. (Bangkok, 28 September 2021) Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd is the owner and operator of global retail destinations –…
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Bangkok braces for flooding, 70,000 homes damaged in Thailand
With nearly 70,000 homes now reported flooded across 30 provinces in Thailand, authorities are bracing and preparing Bangkok for flooding. Tropical Storm Dianmu has pounded Thailand with heavy rains and 6 people have been reported to have lost their lives in the widespread flooding across the Northern and Central provinces. The Thai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reports that the…
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Health Ministry predicts infections will fall to 5,000 a day by end of October
Daily new Covid-19 infections are expected to fall to around 5,000 a day by the end of October, according to a Public Health Ministry spokesman. However, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit remains concerned that they could rise again, due to a number of factors. The Bangkok Post reports that the emergence of infection clusters and the arrival of new variants are still…
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Phuket restaurants can serve alcohol starting October 1
In a decision that should drastically help the Phuket Sandbox and stimulate the economy, the CCSA gave initial approval to an order to allow selling and consuming alcohol in restaurants starting October 1. Thailand has had a national ban on alcohol consumption in groups and in businesses for months, with a recent crackdown on violators, but the rule would only…
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Wary of China, US and EU forge alliance on technology
The chip crisis turned dire when the coronavirus hit. As demand for electronics was skyrocketing in the spring of 2020, manufacturers warned they were running short of semiconductors — key components needed to make devices from smartphones to cars. They had good reasons: In the following months, the shortage forced factories to shut down assembly lines. Tech companies postponed product…
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Ethiopia: War and optimism collide as Abiy Ahmed prepares to form a new government
On October 5 2020, the mandate of the current Ethiopian Parliament expired. Planned elections had been postponed — officially because of the COVID-19 pandemic — sparking swift criticism from opposition parties. That same day, the leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) — the dominant party in the country’s northern Tigray region — declared they would no longer recognize…
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Who will be Japan’s next prime minister?
Japan’s minister for vaccines and reform, Taro Kono, is way ahead of his rivals for the job as head of the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) when party members and its elected politicians vote on Wednesday, according to opinion polls. Despite that popularity, analysts believe that quietly agreed pacts and promises between the party’s rival factions will ensure a…
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List of disease restrictions by colour-coded zoning
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration decided to extend the colour-coded zoning and corresponding disease control restrictions as well as to lift some measures for provinces classified as “dark red” zones with high Covid-19 infection rates, including shortening the nightly curfew by an hour. The revisions go into effect on Friday. The zoning and restrictions will be in place until…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 9,489 new cases; provincial totals
129 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 16,498 with 16,404 of those fatalities recorded in the country’s latest wave since April 1. 9,489 new Covid-19 cases were recorded today, the first time cases have been under 10,000 over the past several weeks. Since the start of…
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Alleged drug dealer busted in Chon Buri, police seize drugs and gun
An alleged drug dealer has been arrested in Chon Buri, a province to the south of Bangkok, with 780,000 methamphetamine pills, a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine, 6 kilograms of ecstasy, and a gun, yesterday. The police did not release the name of the alleged drug dealer as they say they don’t want to compromise their investigation into the suspect’s contacts.…
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Nearly 200 police have been found guilty of misconduct this year
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is demanding immediate and severe action be taken against police officers who are found guilty of misconduct. Since January, 176 Royal Thai Police officers have been found guilty of misconduct. The prime minister met with the Royal Thai Police Bureau yesterday to discuss the most recent cases of police misconduct. The Royal Thai Police says that since…
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6 dead and 30 provinces affected by tropical storm ‘Dianmu’
The tropical storm Dianmu, which passed through northern Thaiand last week, has resulted in flooding across 30 provinces and has claimed 6 lives since September 23. The report says Dianmu has resulted in reported flooding in Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Yasothon, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket,…
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St. Andrews International School, joins global event for children’s wellbeing
Press Release On 30 September, St. Andrews International School, Sathorn has planned activities involving the entire school community of children, parents and employees to mark Global Be Well Day, a worldwide event led by Cognita, the group of 85 schools of which St. Andrews Sathorn school is a member. Over 58,000 children around the world will be taking part to…
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