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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12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Tanzania’s famous female firefighter
She needs special equipment to work. Pili Kaku loves what she does. She’s a member of the Tanzania Fire and Rescue Service. Kaku is trained to save lives. She pays attention to the grievances of people. This gives her more motivation. Fighting fires is a challenging job. Many women are not interested in it. Kaku is drawing the attention. She…
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Expert: Half of Thailand infected in 100 days without vaccines
Amid the growing outcry from the scientific community to reroute AstraZeneca vaccines set for export to urgently vaccinate people in Thailand, one expert warns of the harrowing possibility that half of Thailand’s 70 million people could get Covid-19 if we don’t vaccinate at least 40 million people within the next 100 days. Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs, a leading expert and specialist…
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Phuket Sandbox Express Bus to be ended August 16
On the back of the news that the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has approved airlines to schedule charter flights in and out of Phuket, officials announced that the Sandbox Express Bus set up last week to transport Phuket Sandbox travellers to their exit flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport will be discontinued after August 16. The bus was set up…
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Government delays purchase of antigen tests following quality concerns
The planned purchase by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization of 8.5 million antigen test kits, which cost 70 baht each, has been delayed as the quality of the tests has come into question. The permanent secretary for health and GPO chairperson, Dr Kiatiphum Wongrajit, said today that “an organisation” had mentioned concerns about the quality of the tests in the media.…
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Charter flights from Phuket approved by CAAT for Sandboxers
A new chance for travel out of the Phuket Sandbox was just approved as the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announced they will allow airlines to schedule charter flights between Phuket to Bangkok. The permission granted comes after Thai Smile petitioned the government to allow a flight on August 14 to assist people who travelled into the Phuket Sandbox, but…
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Covid UPDATE: 147 deaths, 22,782 infections, provincial totals
Today the Thai public health department has announced 22,782 new infections, 375 of those from Thai prisons, along with 147 new Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours. 23,649 patients have been released from hospitals or field hospitals as well. 209,028 patients remain under state care, but 68,335 infected people are in home or community isolation. 5,495 patients are listed…
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Bangkok Protester that had hand injured from firecracker tests positive for Covid
A man who recently attended a pro-democracy protest in Bangkok and had a hand “blown off” as he was trying to throw a firework has Covid, says police. Kissana Phatthanacharoen, the deputy spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police Office, said last night that the 14 year old would-be-firecracker-thrower tested positive for Covid while receiving medical attention for his severely injured…
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Possible charges for parents of vandals may be coming, police silent on use of rubber bullets/tear gas
Police are contemplating pursuing legal action against the parents of young protesters that allegedly vandalised public property while attending the recent pro-democracy protests in Bangkok. The police kept silent on their use of rubber bullets and tear gas. Piya Tavichai, the Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner, announced at a press briefing today that multiple suspected vandals are teenagers that have been…
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Ayutthaya ambulance driver tests positive for Covid…again
An ambulance driver from central Thailand’s Ayutthaya province has reportedly tested positive for Covid twice in a 1 month period. The 39 year old ambulance driver, “Wachira”, recently tested positive for Covid. This was a “surprise” for the Wachira as it wasn’t his first time testing positive. The man says he had previously tested positive when other medical officials also…
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Photo of 3 year old Covid patient caring for infected father in ICU goes viral
A hospital doctor has thanked social media users who prayed for a 3 year old girl and her father, both of whom were infected with Covid-19. Nation Thailand reports that Anuchit Niyompattama, a pulmonary and critical care specialist in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, posted a moving photo of the child caring for her father. The girl had drawn…
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Phuket murder suspect charged with attempted rape
Yesterday, Phuket police charged Teerawat Thothip, the 27 year old accused of killing a Swiss tourist, with attempted rape. The commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, Kitrat Phanphet, says there is enough evidence to substantiate an attempted rape charge against Teerawat. Last Saturday, Teerawat was arrested following the police’s discovery of Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf’s body 2 days prior. Kitrat says the…
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Phuket officials identify “risky” tourist spots following holidaymaker’s murder
Following the murder of a Swiss tourist at an isolated waterfall on the island of Phuket last week, officials have been busy identifying other potential danger spots. Nation Thailand reports that the Phuket sandbox command centre has named 6 locations that could pose a risk to tourists. Provincial governor Narong Woonciew has called on local authorities to tighten security at…
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Anti-government protests, clashes with police continue for second day in Bangkok
Violence has erupted on the streets of Bangkok for the second day in a row as anti-government protesters clashed with police. Thai PBS World reports that protesters hurled bricks, firecrackers, and slingshots at officers at the Victory Monument and the Din Daeng intersection. Yesterday’s rally was organised by the Talu Fah group, which is closely allied to the Ratsadon pro-democracy…
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Covid UPDATE Thursday: 147 Covid-related deaths, 22,782 infections
Today the Thai public health department has announced 22,782 new infections, 375 of those from Thai prisons, along with 147 new Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours. 23,649 patients have been released from hospitals or field hospitals as well. 209,028 patients remain under state care, but 68,335 infected people are in home or community isolation. 5,495 patients are listed…
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Ferry between Pattaya and Hua Hin permanently cancelled
With travel restrictions for dark red zones limiting flights and bus services, ferries are not immune from the economic damages of Covid-19 either. The ferry service running between Hua Hin and Pattaya hasn’t been operating since last year due to Covid-19, but it now appears it will not ever restart. Royal Passenger Liner Co was operating as the sole operator…
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Will Romania step up anti-LGBTQ legislation like Hungary?
Many Romanians probably do not know what the letters LGBTQ stand for, and this is hardly surprising given that sexual orientation and gender identity have not played a major role in the country’s public debate in recent years. Although a referendum seeking to prevent same-sex marriage from ever being legalized was held in 2018 after being championed by the Romanian…
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AfricaLink on Air – 11 August 2021
Ethiopia calls “all capable” citizens to fight in Tigray war +++ Zambian election: Youth unemployment may swing vote +++ Kenya forces vaccines on Civil Servants +++ Cameroon: Aid agencies drawn into conflict SOURCE: DW News
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Tigray: War at the expense of women
As the death toll rises and crimes abound, the civil war in Tigray is becoming ever more of a humanitarian disaster — particularly for women, who are being raped en masse. SOURCE: DW News
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Niger: Convincing displaced people to return home
More than 130,000 people have fled the Diffa region. Baroua was a Boko Haram target. Niger encourages people to return home. The government plans to resettle 18 more towns. Those who return to Baroua will start from scratch. It’s not only about security guarantees. Going back to Baroua means economic uncertainties. Children will have to attend schools in another city.…
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Thailand: Growing COVID crisis heats up political tension
As Thailand continues to battle its most severe wave of COVID infections yet,frustration is mounting over the government’s poor handling of a delta variant-fueled surge, a sluggish vaccine rollout and the heavy toll that the pandemic restrictions are having on the battered economy. High-risk areas including the capital Bangkok and its surrounding provinces have been in lockdown since mid-July, while…
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COVID: Why Indonesia is unable to rein in the pandemic
Medical facilities on Indonesia’s largest and most populated island, Java, are starting to absorb the blow of surging COVID cases over the past month, with more medical oxygen and hospital beds being made available. However, hospitals elsewhere in Indonesia are reporting low oxygen supplies as cases increase. Java, home to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, has much better health care facilities compared…
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Madagascar’s worst drought in decades
It has not rained in Madagascar for months and parasites have affected staple crops, leading to rising food prices and leaving families with nothing to eat. In its latest Hunger Hotspots report for 2021, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) says acute food insecurity in southern Madagascar “is expected to push 14,000 people into catastrophic acute food insecurity by…
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Press lawsuit to stop police from using rubber bullets rejected
After being injured by rubber bullets police fired at protesters despite being clearly marked as members of the press, a journalist with Plus Seven and a photographer from The Matter filed a lawsuit against the police. Now the Civil Court has responded, throwing out their petition to stop police from using rubber bullets as part of crowd control during protests.…
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Julian Assange: US still pushing for extradition
Assange has not been a free man for 11 years: that is 4,000 days and nights. He celebrated his last three birthdays in London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison, which is often referred to as the “British Guantanamo” for its tough conditions. All applications for bail or a release into house arrest have been denied. So, the Australian journalist and activist remains incarcerated as he awaits the decision on whether or not the…
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China bans illegal content in karaoke songs, criteria proves troublesome for venue owners
China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that it is planning to ban karaoke songs that have “illegal content”. The illegal content criteria include songs that “endanger national unity”, sovereignty or territorial integrity. People/companies that provide content to karaoke venues are urged to check the songs they are offering and report to the ministry any songs that are possibly harmful.…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat man arrested for allegedly possessing 2 illegal firearms
Today, a man in the Southern Thai province of Nakhon Si Thammarat was arrested after police searched his dwelling and located 2 firearms. Serm Kwannimit, the deputy provincial police chief, says, officers were responding to information that military-grade weapons were being sold at 20 year old Teeradet “Bang Jack” Chuhai’s house. Police found an AK-47 assault rifle and a 9mm…
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Heavy rain causes flash flood in Surat Thani
Raging currents of flood swept away the roof of a shop at Surat Thani province. Due to heavy rain, water from the Nuea Khlong waterfall flowed down the mountain yesterday, flooding some houses in Wiang Sa District. Southern parts of Thailand get by far the most rain, with around 2,400 millimeters every year, compared with the central and northern regions…
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Kanchanaburi bridge closure isolates Ban Wang Ka village
The CDC has closed Thailand’s longest wooden bridge, Uttamanusorn Bridge/Saphan Mon, in Thailand’s western province of Kanchanaburi. The closure has isolated a village where Covid cases are climbing. Shade netting has been employed by the Sangkhla Buri district office to block passage to the bridge. Thus, people in the Ban Wang Ka village are stuck in their village. In non-Covid…
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Anti-government protesters in violent clashes with police in Bangkok
Pro-democracy activists clashed with police in Bangkok last night in response to the authorities’ use of teargas, rubber bullets, and water cannon. Thai PBS World reports that the clashes took place at the Din Daeng intersection in the capital, following a rally organised by protest group, the United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration. It’s understood a number of activists refused…
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Order banning fear-inducing information repealed by PM
After widespread criticism from Thai media and human rights organisations, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has backed down and repealed his order banning posting information that could cause fear, regardless of whether it was true. The order was published in the Royal Gazette on July 29 and put into effect the next day, and last night the Gazette published the repeal of…
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