News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
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5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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2nd annual Thailand Game Expo opens at BITEC in Bangkok
AIS and M Vision have kicked off the 2nd Thailand Game Expo at the BITEC centre (Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre) in Bangna. 700,000+ visitors are expected to attend the Expo this year, which runs through to this Sunday (February 2) and product sales tipped to top 2 billion baht. The event is organised by AIS eSports. Alistair Johnston, the…
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South Korean cycling prospect killed in Chiang Mai crash
A cyclist from the Korea Cycling Federation has died after being struck by a pickup truck during a training exercise in Chiang Mai. 18 year old Eom Se-beom was pronounced dead in an ambulance on his way to a hospital. It’s believed the truck crossed the centre line and crashed into Eom as he headed down a slope. Eom was…
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Thailand considers suspending visa-on-arrival for Chinese
The Cabinet committee responsible for “preventing emerging diseases” will meet today to roll out various measures in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak affecting the region, according to Thai Public Health Minister Anuthin Charnvirakul. One proposed measure is the temporary suspension of visa-on-arrival for Chinese nationals, in line with the Chinese ban on outbound group tours. Anuthin stressed that the…
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Indonesian authorities offer reward for getting tyre off crocodile
Any croc-whisperers out there? Authorities in Indonesia are offering a reward to anyone who can rescue a saltwater crocodile with a motorbike tyre stuck around its neck. The huge crocodile has had the tyre around its neck for several years. One brave croc wrangler will land an unspecified amount of cash, but it will mean coming face to face with the…
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Coronavirus UPDATE – confirmed cases exceed SARS outbreak, death toll reaches 213
The last day of January and the number of coronavirus cases now heads towards 10,000, confirmed cases in China, as of Friday morning, is 9,692. Confirmed deaths, all in China, are now 213. The number of confirmed cases now exceeds the total number of SARS cases during the outbreak in 2002/2003. 42 of the new deaths occurred in Hubei province,…
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Doctors advise good hygiene as the best protection against coronavirus
“China’s healthcare system and disease outbreak control capabilities have improved dramatically since 2003 and I believe they will contain the outbreak.” As the coronavirus outbreak in Hubei, central China evolves, and as it continues to spread outside China’s borders, health practitioners and medical authorities are advising people to protect themselves by maintaining simple, practical hygiene practices such as washing your…
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1 killed in 8 vehicle pileup in Prachin Buri
One man is dead and another seriously injured after an eight vehicle pileup last night at a traffic light on a major highway in central Thailand. The crash involved four transfer trucks, two pickups and two cars in Prachin Buri City. One victim said she was slowing down to stop at a red light when an 18 wheel trailer truck…
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Escaped giraffe found dead in Chachoengsao
A 7 metre giraffe which escaped from a private zoo’s transport on Tuesday was found dead in a ditch today in the central province of Chachoengsao, about 50 kilometres east from Bangkok. Animal control officials discovered the giraffe drowned in a lotus pond by Highway 304 this afternoon, ending a two day search. The animal, along with a smaller giraffe,…
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‘Blind’ beggar found driving SUV, fined
Further to a story already reported by The Thaiger, a gambler, pretending to be a blind beggar to pay his debts, is blaming his daughter’s refusal to send him money. Somporn Kueyen’s ruse was exposed after a video on social media went viral, showing him parking a Toyota Fortuner outside a temple in Nonthaburi, near Bangkok. He was wearing ragged…
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Giraffe on the run after escaping from truck
If you spot a giraffe, don’t panic. Two giraffes escaped from a truck this week and only one has been caught. The pair were being transported from Bangkok to a new zoo. A convoy of 24 trucks with animals in containers left Suvarnabhumi airport about 4pm, heading for an animal breeding facility in the central province of Prachin Buri, east of…
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Airlines temporarily suspend flights to China
British Airways is suspending all direct flights to and from mainland China due to the Wuhan Coronavirus, making it one of the biggest international carriers to do so so far. The suspension comes after Britain warned against all but essential travel to the China on Tuesday. BA.com, the airline’s website, shows no direct flights to China are available through February.…
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“Surgical masks no guarantee against coronavirus” – medical experts
The Wuhan Coronavirus is making news around the world and the sight of people wearing face-masks is now becoming common – whether they’re in a high-risk area or not. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has upgraded the global threat level to “high.” Many countries have banned or reduced flights from China and are stepping up screening efforts at their airports.…
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4 year old Wuhan girl cleared of coronavirus in Phuket
A 4 year old girl from Wuhan, who was not allowed to board her flight home on Friday, has tested negative for the Wuhan Coronavirus and been discharged from hospital. “A fluid sample from the girl’s nose was sent to the Health Control Division in Bangkok to test for the virus,” local health authorities told The Phuket News. “The test…
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U-Tapao, AIS collaborate on smart terminal
U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport and AIS, Thailand’s largest GSM mobile phone operator, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to turn the airport’s Passenger Terminal 2 into a “smart terminal.” U-Tapao, a joint civil/military public airport serving Rayong and Pattaya City, has been working on developing digital solutions with AIS in its second passenger terminal since 2018. Now it is…
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Thai police scrutinised over record number of dismissed human trafficking cases
Thailand is home to about 610,000 modern-day slaves, or about one in 113 of its population of 69 million, according to the Global Slavery Index by the Walk Free Foundation. Yet Thai prosecutors turned down nearly a fifth of human trafficking cases sent to them by police last year. This has raised concerns that police were on a drive to…
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The rise of the e-bicycle in Thailand, a bit of motorised assistance
by Nicole Kash Cycling tours offer a unique way to explore Thailand. Faster than walking but slower than driving, cycling tours cover plenty of ground while allowing cyclists to immerse themselves in the sights, smells, and culture of Thailand without the boundary of a car window. Cycling tours can cover up to a heart-pumping 150 kilometre a day. Though exciting…
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Top 6 fake coronavirus news stories
The deadly Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak, which has infected thousands and spread to 15 countries since it emerged in China, has also spawned many false claims on social media. Here’s a selection of false stories debunked by AFP’s Fact Check service… 1. Sydney food is not contaminated In Australia, multiple Facebook posts shared hundreds of times claim to show a list of…
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7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Caribbean, sparked tsunami fears
An earthquake, followed by a series of strong aftershocks, struck yesterday in the Caribbean Sea, shaking the area from Florida to Mexico. The tremor had a magnitude of 7.7 but apparently caused no casualties or major damage. The initial tremor struck at 2:10 pm Eastern Time and was centered 86 miles northwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica and 87 miles west-southwest…
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Coronavirus UPDATE – 6,057 confirmed cases, 132 dead, Wednesday 11.30am
The Coronavirus has now infected a confirmed 6,057 people who are undergoing treatment, and the death toll has reached 132. 125 of those deaths are isolated to Hubei Province in central China. The largest city of Hubei is Wuhan, the epicentre of the current outbreak which first came to light in mid-December last year at a fresh meat market. Germany…
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Student stabbed at college in Songkhla
A student is recovering in hospital after being stabbed in a fight in Thailand’s southern Songkhla province Tuesday following an exchange of harsh words on social media. Police say the incident occurred at the Luang Prathan Ratnikorn Industrial and Community College. Police and a rescue unit were called to the scene and found 21 year old Prinya Chanpoon, a second year…
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Thailand to screen all airline passengers from China for coronavirus
Beginning yesterday, all airline passenger arrivals from China, regardless of their point of origin, are being screened for the Wuhan Coronavirus when entering Thailand. Health officials announced the measure after six more Chinese visitors were diagnosed with the virus, bringing the total in Thailand to 14 cases. The death toll from the outbreak now stands at 131 (as of Wednesday morning),…
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School of weed: Ministries preparing course on medical marijuana
The government wants people to have the facts as the medicinal effects, and possible risks, of ‘ganja’ emerge. UPDATE: The Cabinet today gave the greenlight for kanchong (cannabis) cultivation to make this type of hemp a cash crop, according to Thai News Agency’s English news. As earlier reported by The Thaiger, two Thai government agencies have agreed to cooperate to…
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Coronavirus UPDATE – 5,578 confirmed cases, 131 dead
We awake to the latest news today on the spread of the Coronavirus where 5,578 people are now confirmed as infected and undergoing treatment, and the death toll reaching 131. 125 of those deaths are isolated to Hubei Province in central China (graph below). The largest city of Hubei is Wuhan, the epicentre of the current outbreak which first came…
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Coronavirus – six new cases confirmed in Thailand
Six new cases of of the novel coronavirus are now confirmed for Thailand by the Ministry of Public Health. That brings the total number of cases detected to 14. The six new cases have all been hospitalised. Dr. Suhum Kanchanapimai, the Public health permanent secretary, confirmed that five of the six confirmed cases were members of the same Chinese family…
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Tiger and piglet shows discontinued at Sriracha zoo
“The show is cruel, affecting those who witness it and it is not appropriate for a zoo to be showing such lack of care for a piglet.” Netizens were horrified when a tourist posted a short video of a screaming piglet being clawed by a tiger at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Chonburi province. Many criticised the zoo, complaining that…
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Coronavirus – WHO says it remains unclear when people become contagious
The World Health Organisation has announced that… “it remains unclear if the deadly coronavirus, which broke out in Wuhan, China five weeks ago, is contagious during its incubation period before symptoms appear. The virus, causing a pneumonia-like respiratory infection, has killed more than 100 people and infected over 4,500 in China, while cases are now identified in more than a dozen…
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No permission from Beijing to evacuate Thais from China
China has so far not granted Thailand permission to land a plane to evacuate Thais in light of the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says China is handling the situation, and the Thai government must prepare a list of Thai nationals currently in China, an assembly point and a departure table before permission is given. “China confirmed that it can…
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Coronavirus UPDATE: 107 dead, more cases in Singapore and 1 in Cambodia
The death toll in China from the respiratory illness called the Wuhan Coronavirus or the Novel Coronavirus, has now reached 106, according to Channel News Asia. There are no deaths reported outside China and the vast majority of deaths are in the province of Hubei (76) where Wuhan is the capital. The number of total confirmed cases has risen to…
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Coronavirus UPDATE: 81 dead, Beijing 50 year old dies, more cases in the US
The death toll in China from the respiratory illness called the Wuhan Coronavirus or the Novel Coronavirus, has now reached 81. There are no deaths reported outside China and the vast majority of deaths are in the province of Hubei (76) where Wuhan is the capital. The coronavirus has now infected nearly 3,000 people, and the numbers are expected to…
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Pattaya leaders meet to discuss effects of Coronavirus on tourism
Pattaya luminaries, community leaders and business owners met yesterday at Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden to discuss the effect of the Wuhan Coronavirus on local tourism and ways to minimise the damage. The deputy Governor of Chonburi province, where Pattaya is located, travelled to Nong Nooch Gardens to meet with the director of U-Tapao Airport, the director of the Pattaya…
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