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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Family demands investigation after conscript found dead at army base
The family of a young conscript that was found dead, hanging in a military base bathroom, is demanding an investigation claiming the 22 year old army private was physically assaulted during his training and he had no motive to commit suicide. Pichawat Wiangnon was found hanged to death at Military Circle in northeastern province Roi Et. Officers at the base…
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Health officials declare all recent STV arrivals Covid-free – so far
Thai health officials say that, so far, none of the foreigners who arrived in the Kingdom on the Special Tourist Visa have tested positive for Covid-19. However, they are urging the public to continue with the safety and hygiene measures introduced at the start of the pandemic, after a number of recent asymptomatic cases tested positive outside of quarantine facilities.…
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Police checking contents of protest letter boxes to decide if charges will be filed
Police in Bangkok say they will be reading the contents of 4 red letter boxes used at a rally in the capital on Sunday in order to decide whether or not to press charges. Pro-democracy protesters used the letter boxes to drop hand-written petitions and letters calling for reform of the Monarchy. The letters were addressed to HM The King.…
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Man arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on a woman at the ATM
A man was arrested after he allegedly pulled a gun on a woman at an ATM outside a Chon Buri petrol station and demanded money. Police quickly arrived to the gas station on Sukhumvit Road and arrested 36 year old Tawat Jantawon who allegedly told police he had taken a small amount of crystal methamphetamine. Police searched the man and…
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Officials urge public to stick with Covid safety measures, warning that quarantine is not a catch-all solution
The Ministry of Public Health has issued a warning that quarantine alone is not enough, as it calls on people to continue with Covid-19 safety measures such as hand washing, social distancing, and the wearing of face masks in public spaces. Top medic Sophon Iamsirithavorn says that, despite the government’s best efforts, those arriving from overseas may still slip through…
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Sarasas teachers sentenced to jail for child abuse, parents want 120 million baht in damages
Parents of children allegedly abused by teachers at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchapruek school in Nonthaburi, a suburb outside Bangkok, are seeking compensation. A lawyer representing the parents made a post on Facebook saying that a group of 20 parents are seeking more than 120 million baht in damages. The parents have a meeting with the attorney general today, according to…
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Army chief dismisses rumours of impending coup – VIDEO
Thailand’s Army chief Narongpan Jitkaewthae has described the chances of a coup as, “less than zero”, insisting the current political unrest can only be solved by political means. Pro-democracy activists continue to put pressure on the government, repeating their demands for the resignation of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, a charter (constitution) re-write and reform of the role of the country’s revered…
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Bangkok’s Chinatown to get a new look
Bangkok’s Chinatown is getting a makeover. A noticeable change will be to the food carts lining the main strip, Yaowarat Road, which are usually packed tightly along the street. In the revitalisation plan starting early next year, the food carts will be “more ordered” and “harmonised,” according to deputy governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul. “After January, people will see a noticeable change…
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Phuket’s tourism high season hopes shattered in policy flip-flop
“The time has come that Thailand must gain confidence from international benchmarks.” Thailand’s leading resort island Phuket has come face-to-face with the reality that it’s tourism high-season will not see a marked reopening to overseas travellers. In the wake of the dismantling of the ‘Phuket Model’ and refocus by the government on using Bangkok as a single international gateway, there…
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UPDATE: Pfizer and BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine candidate is “strongly effective”
Pfizer is claiming that it’s current Covid-19 vaccine candidate “may be 90% effective” at preventing infection from the coronavirus. The pharmaceutical company says later this month they could be ready to file an ’emergency use’ application with US regulators. US-based Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are claiming that their vaccine against Covid-19 was “strongly effective” and has “exceeded expectations”…
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Bangkok man arrested for selling e-cigarettes and vape liquid
Police raided a home in Bangkok, seizing 70 electronic cigarettes as well as refill liquid and other related products. While the products are legal in many countries, vape pens and e-cigarettes sales are illegal in Thailand. Police say the alleged dealer, 35 year old Chalitpon Saardrup, sold the e-cigarettes and vaping liquid through Facebook and used a private delivery service…
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Thailand News Today | Golf STVs, Russian head-butted, protest latest | Nov 9
Thailand News Today, stripped-back-version today. All the news you need to know about Thailand from The Thaiger. (Original story and link for Pattaya Russian assault story HERE) Protesters face water cannons as they deliver thousands of letters to HM the King Police turned the water cannons on thousands of protesters again as they tried to march to the Grand Palace…
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Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha congratulates US President-elect Joe Biden
After the tight race for United States president, Thailand’s prime minister sent a message congratulating President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory against incumbents President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Reports say that Biden’s win could benefit Thailand. The Bangkok Post says trade tension between the US and China could ease up. The Thai…
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Police arrest “major drug dealer” in the Isaan region
Police say they’ve arrested a “major drug dealer” at a sugarcane farm in the Isaan province Khon Kaen and seized thousands of methamphetamine pills. Police say they’ve been looking for 25 year old Sukree Chaukhamhod for a while and were recently tipped off that the alleged drug dealer frequently goes to a sugarcane farm in the Nam Phong district. Officers…
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Bangkok nightclub has special booth to vet and upcharge foreigners
A Bangkok nightclub has set up what resembles an immigration counter outside the venue to check foreigners’ IDs and make them pay up before entering. At BarBarBar in Thong Lor, Thais get in free, but foreigners are asked to step aside to the booth and either pay 500 baht or buy a bottle of alcohol before entering the venue. Bouncers…
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2 dead, including 15 month old boy, in traffic accident in north-east Thailand
A man and a 15 month old boy have died, while an 11 year old child has been injured, in a collision between a 10-wheeler truck and a motorbike. The Bangkok Post reports that the collision happened last night, in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The 55 year old truck driver, Thongpoon Buakkhunthod, says he was travelling on the…
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Protesters use red letter boxes to receive petitions calling for reform of the Thai Monarchy
With police blocking their attempts to reach the Palace’s Household Bureau in Bangkok last night, anti-government protesters dropped their petitions and hand-written letters, calling for reform of the Thai Monarchy, into 4 ‘letter boxes’ instead. After the activists had brought the plastic red letter boxes with them, and, with police preventing them from marching to the Grand Palace, used them…
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Investors see opportunity in Pattaya hotel market
Although travel restrictions are still tight, investors see potential opportunities in Pattaya’s hotel market. Many are reimagining the 2021 market by focusing on domestic demand. Property consultancy JLL says the ongoing Eastern Economic Corridor development comes into play. U-Tapao International Airport in Rayong expanding to increase capacity by 5 million passengers and a high speed rail is in the works…
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5 injured after engine explodes on Phang Nga speedboat
5 people have been injured, 3 seriously, after a moored speedboat caught fire in Phang Nga province yesterday. The incident happened around 8.30am. The boat was tied up to the Thap Lamu boat pier, where most Similan Island-bound private tour boats depart from and return to. The injured were all crew from the boat. According to witnesses, the captain started…
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Government pledges help for Phuket tourism industry
As Phuket’s tourism industry continues to fight for survival amid ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the PM is ordering an advisory team to finish work on recovery proposals received from the private sector and submit them to the government’s Covid-19 task force for approval. Danucha Pichayanan, from the National Economic and Social Development Council, says this is expected to happen shortly, as…
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Protesters face water cannons as they deliver thousands of letters to HM the King – VIDEO
Police turned the water cannons on thousands of protesters again as they marched to the Grand Palace to symbolically deliver hand-written letters to the Thai King. Thai media reports the crowd numbers were up to 10,000 – 12,000. Police say the crowd was around 7,000. The protesters were again demanding the resignation of the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, a new…
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Officials tracing 290 contacts of Krabi Covid case – 79 considered “high-risk”
Efforts are underway to trace 290 people who had contact with a Covid-19 patient in Krabi, with officials declaring 79 of them, “high-risk”. The 37 year old man, an Indian national who lives on Koh Phi Phi, tested positive for the virus while undergoing medical tests as part of a work permit application. The Bangkok Post reports that while most…
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52 year old Russian head-butted by Thai protest leader in Pattaya
A small protest gathering in Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach last night turned ugly when one of the protest leaders targeted and assaulted a 52 year old Russian expat who was watching on with his 10 year old daughter and Thai wife. The tall Thai man in the floral shirt, named as Narathiwat “Kane” Khamma, became agitated and started yelling obscenities at…
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3 protesters injured as police turn on the water cannons again at last night’s protest
For a second time Thai police have turned their high pressure water cannons on protesters. This evening police aimed the water cannon at the anti-government protesters in an effort to stop them from continuing their march to the Royal Household Bureau at the Grand Palace. 3 protesters were injured in the exchange and were taken to hospital in an ambulance.…
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Play 18 holes during your quarantine in Thailand – new STV proposal
Quarantine, whilst wandering around a golf course, maintaining social distancing of course. That’s the latest STV proposal tabled for consideration by the CCSA to expand the current Special Tourist Visa and quarantine restrictions for golf tourists who may visit Thailand and do their quarantine in a secure golf course, whilst enjoying a few rounds at the same time. The proposal…
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Cement truck driver blames brake failure after vehicle overturns
A driver was able to escape serious injuries after the cement truck he was driving flipped over in Banglamung yesterday morning. The driver has blamed brake failure for the incident. Emergency responders were notified of the accident on Saturday morning at 10am in Baan Ton Krarok. Police arrived to find the overturned cement truck on the road. The 61 year old sustained…
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Bangkok Pride Parade demands reforms and rights for sex workers
The Thai LGBT community was joined by anti-government protesters in yesterday’s Pride Parade in Bangkok, which travelled from Sam Yan intersection to Silom. The parade took on a more political tone this year and was calling for democracy and equal rights, amid the usual demands for the resignation of Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and reforms to the role of the…
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Police were waiting at the thief’s home after a bungled Bangkok gold shop robbery
Note to aspiring gold thieves – leave your ID card at home before you head out for the robbery. One gold thief has learned the hard way after accidentally dropping his ID card in the gold shop as he was rushing to escape. The incident happened last Thursday at 11am at a gold shop inside the Tesco Lotus Phatthanakan. Central Bangkok…
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UPDATE: US President continues to wage war against the election results on Twitter
President Trump continues to insist on Twitter that ballots “have not been properly considered” and argues that President-elect Joe Biden’s victory is premature. But sources from the President’s inner circle are saying that “under some conditions” the president would consider a civil transition of power, accord to Fox News. At this stage, lawyers representing the Trump campaign have already filed…
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Police say they’re well prepared for this afternoon’s anti-government protest
An anti-government rally is planned for today, scheduled to start around 4pm. Police say they have taken steps to ensure that no laws are broken and that the rally remains peaceful. Some 15 companies of what are reported to be crowd control police will be deployed at the Royal Plaza. Rally organisers have already foreshadowed they intend to march to an…
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