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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Pfizer vaccine OK for US children 12-15, critics urge better use
While drug regulators authorised Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 in the US, critics are saying that the jabs would be more useful if sent to poor countries. The American Food and Drug Administration cleared the vaccine on Monday, saying that it was safe for children over the age of 12, and the US Centres for Disease Control…
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Thai Airways’ creditors to vote on rehab plan today
Today is D-Day for Thai Airways, with 13,000 creditors voting on whether or not to accept the struggling airline’s rehabilitation plan. According to a Bangkok Post report, a source at the airline has warned that should creditors reject the plan, the carrier will be declared bankrupt and they would only receive 12.9% of what they’re owed. In the event of…
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Jailed activists Penguin and Ammy finally granted bail
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, the high-profile student activist leader that has been jailed for months, has finally been granted bail after 10 requests. Another student protester champion, singer Chaiamorn “Ammy the Bottom Blues” Kaewwiboonpan, was also released yesterday. Both activists were being held without bail in Bangkok Remand Prison, charged under Thailand’s strict lèse majesté laws that prohibit anyone from speaking…
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Wednesday Covid UPDATE: 34 deaths and 1,983 new infections
The Thai public health ministry is reporting an additional 34 Covid-related deaths and 1,983 new infections from the past 24 hours of Bangkok and provincial reports. We’ll post all the provincial numbers just after lunch when they become available. • Bangkok health officials are aiming to get around 70% of the Bangkok’s residents – about 5 million people – vaccinated…
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Airlines can face penalties for failure to check passengers’ Certificate of Entry – CAAT
Airlines with routes to Thailand are told to check passengers’ Certificate of Entry, a required document to travel to Thailand, prior to departure. Airlines will face penalties if they allow passengers who don’t have the required documentation to land in Thailand, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand warns. If passengers do not have their COE prior to boarding the aircraft,…
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Thai government looks into “humanitarian solution” for detained reporters from Myanmar
Following the arrest of 3 journalists from a Myanmar news agency and 2 activists, who all face deportation and charges for entering Thailand illegally, the Thai government says they’re looking for a “humanitarian solution.” Following the February military coup, the junta attempted to silence the media by revoking licenses allowing outlets to report and arresting journalists. The editor and director…
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Thailand News Today | More bubbles?, Burmese journalists arrested, Malaysian lockdown | May 11
Thailand will travel travel bubble discussions with countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Laos and Malaysia. Travel bubbles could start as soon as October, Police in Northern Thailand arrested 3 senior journalists who had fled Myanmar, Thai officials say expats living in Thailand will be included in the government’s mass Covid-19 vaccination plan, but exactly when that will be is still…
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PM Prayut Chan-o-cha seeks looser restrictions in ‘red’ zones
Covid-19 infections are still high, but PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he wants restrictions to loosen up and businesses to reopen as soon as possible in provinces classified as “red” zones under tight control to combat Covid-19. The prime minister says he has ordered governors of red zone provinces to look into easing disease control measures. Looking into each province’s Covid-19…
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Thailand signs trade agreement with EU, same tax rates as before Brexit
Under a new agreement with the European Union, Thailand can export to the trade bloc under the same tax rates and trade privileges from before Brexit. After the UK left the trade bloc on January 1, the tariff rate quota deal between Thailand and the EU was renegotiated. The agreement goes into effect next month. The recent agreement only covers…
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University student carves “112” into chest after being charged with violating lèse-majesté law
A Chiang Mai University student now has the numbers of “112” carved across his chest after using a razor blade on himself in defiance of the Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lèse-majesté law. The student took to cutting himself after arriving at the police station to face charges of violating the law. He was also…
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British citizens fined 6,000 baht each for illegal ‘party’ in Phuket
An unedited video circulating, showing Phuket police raiding an illegal gathering in Cherngtalay, ended up with 2 UK citizens, working in Phuket, being fined 6,000 baht each. The Cherngtalay police are also calling on another 4 foreigners attending the party to present themselves to the police station to be charged as well. Cherngtalay Police descended on the property around 5pm…
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Police step up border patrols and checkpoints, arresting 49 illegal migrants today
Police are stepping up border checkpoints and patrolling as 49 more illegal migrants from Myanmar are arrested today. In the North, Trairong Piewpan, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 6, says checkpoints have been set up along the roads, waterways and natural foot trails in an effort to block all possible channels for illegal border crossings from Myanmar. In Songkhla, a…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,919 new cases and 31 deaths, provincial totals
1,919 new Covid-19 cases and 31 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 29,435 active cases. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 86,924 infections and 452 Covid-related deaths. At today’s CCSA briefing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun said…
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Chon Buri releases Covid timeline of recent market cluster
Chon Buri is releasing a Covid-19 timeline of a recent market cluster that is seeing 19 cases of the virus so far. The Chonburi Public Health Office is asking those who visited the places listed below, to notify health authorities and monitor their health for Covid symptoms. The following is an English version of the timeline, translated by The Pattaya…
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Travel bubble talks to pick back up once Covid-19 is under control
Once the Covid-19 outbreak is under control, Thailand will pick back up on travel bubble discussions with countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Laos and Malaysia. Travel bubbles could start as soon as October if the daily Covid-19 count significantly decreases by the end of the month. The country’s Covid-19 immunisation plan needs to be accelerated and the daily Covid-19 count…
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China sees slowest population growth since 1960’s despite relaxing 1 child policy
China is seeing the slowest amount of population growth since the 1960’s despite relaxing its 1 child policy. The birthrate has been in a steady decline since 2017, and its growth is being measured at 5.4% since the last census in 2010. The population has reached 1.41 billion, but that number is low due to the sluggish growth rate. The…
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Pattaya motorbike taxi driver dies after being hit by car while trying to save dog
A female motorbike taxi driver has been killed after she was struck by a car while trying to save a stray dog on a Pattaya highway. The Pattaya News reports that the tragic incident occurred on Sukhumvit Road near the Chaiyapruek Intersection around 8pm on Sunday night. It’s understood the woman, named as 21 year old Roongnapa Jaroensook was trying…
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Americans in Thailand urge US to provide Covid-19 vaccines to citizens overseas
Thai officials say expats living in Thailand will be included in the government’s mass Covid-19 vaccination plan, but exactly when that will be is still up in the air. With foreign embassies in Thailand clearly stating that they will not assist with providing citizens living overseas with vaccines, expats are relying on the Thai government. A number of Americans are…
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Flight booking data shows vaccinations are key to rebooting travel globally
The latest findings from a research firm that analyses flight booking data confirms that vaccination is the key to rebooting international travel. The most recent research from ForwardKeys shows that destinations prepared to welcome vaccinated tourists have seen a surge in bookings. In particular, Greece and Iceland, have had a significant uptake in inbound flights, while countries where mass vaccination…
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National lockdown in Malaysia as Covid-19 infections surge
Malaysia has gone into full national lockdown amid a surge in Covid-19 infections, including highly contagious variants that are putting the healthcare system under pressure. According to Thai PBS World, the Malaysian PM, Muhyiddin Yassin, has announced a ban on social gatherings and inter-state and inter-district travel. “Malaysia is facing a third wave of Covid-19 that could trigger a national…
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Tuesday Covid UPDATE: 31 new deaths and 1,919 new infections
The Thai public health officials have reported that there has been 31 Covid-related deaths and 1,919 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. • An entry ban has been extended to cover foreign travellers coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, as well as India, to help contain any further “highly contagious” Indian variants of Covid-19. The includes all foreigners departing…
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Entry ban extended to non-Thais arriving from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal
Non-Thai nationals arriving from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal are now included in an entry ban aimed at preventing the spread of the so-called Indian variant of Covid-19. The ban was first introduced for arrivals from India late last month, amid the escalating crisis in that country. It has now been extended to 3 other South Asian nations as the government…
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Health officials race to vaccinate 70% of Khlong Toey slum residents
Health officials are racing to vaccinate 70% of residents in Bangkok’s Khlong Toey neighbourhood, the largest slum in the city where hundreds have tested positive for Covid-19 since April. With people living in crowded conditions and many unable to take off work to self-isolate, Thai authorities have been rolling out proactive Covid-19 testing and a mass vaccination campaign in an…
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ICU beds for Covid-19 patients in Phuket are close to a “critical” low
Covid-19 patients in severe condition may have to been transferred from a government hospital in Phuket to a private hospital as the number of available hospital beds at public intensive care units in Phuket is close to a “critical” low, according to Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Chalermpong Sukontapol. There are 9 ICU rooms at the Vachira Phuket Hospital. 5 are…
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Covid-19 variant first detected in India reported in Thailand state quarantine
The mutated strain of Covid-19 that was first reported in India has been detected in Thailand. Health officials say a Thai woman and her young son tested positive for the variant while in quarantine for those arriving in Thailand from overseas. The mother and her sons, ages 4, 6, and 8, had arrived in Thailand from Pakistan on April 24,…
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Glass bridge in China shatters, tourist hangs on 100 metres above the ground
A tourist walking on a glass bridge in China, looking down at the ground 100 metres below, quickly had to cling onto the bridge’s rails after high winds caused some of the panels of the glass-bottom bridge to shatter. Reports say the wind blew at up to 145 kilometres per hour, damaging the glass bridge and leaving the tourists stuck…
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‘Safe zone’ in Thailand for refugees fleeing Myanmar violence
Due to the ongoing violence between the Myanmar military and ethnic troops, the Thai military has set up a “safe zone” for thousands of refugees in Mae Hong Son near the Salween River, the natural border between Thailand and Myanmar. The prominent armed wing of the Karen National Union has openly supported the anti-coup movement in Myanmar, leading to clashes…
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Covid UPDATE: 1,630 new cases and 22 deaths, provincial totals
1,630 new Covid-19 cases and 22 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. There are now 29,376 active Covid-19 cases. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported 85,005 Covid-19 cases and 421 Covid-related deaths. Out of the 22 deaths, most of the patients had chronic illnesses. Many contracted…
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Chon Buri sees lowest number of new, daily infections since early April – Monday, 63
Chon Buri province, including Pattaya, is reporting 63 new, daily Covid-19 infections, and 1 new death. The number is a large drop from yesterday’s totals and is the lowest daily amount reported since early April. The total in the current wave of infections is now 3,361, with 1,507 currently listed as in treatment for the virus, and 9 deaths. 1,845…
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Royal Thai police say new uniforms will help in pursuit of criminals
The Royal Thai Police say new uniforms will help them be more “agile” in their pursuits of criminals. The uniform’s prototype is still under trials and has yet to be launched. The move to change uniforms has been attempted in the past, with tourist police once seeing their usual long-sleeved khaki shirt with shoulder pads and metal badges morph to…
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