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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Sponsored 10 biggest challenges retirees face in Thailand (and how to overcome them)
Retiring in Thailand comes with many benefits, like warm weather, affordable living, and a rich culture. However, it also brings challenges. Retirees must deal with visa rules, healthcare costs, language barriers, and cultural differences. Rising medical expenses, required insurance, and...
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Covid-19 cluster confirmed following Koh Lanta “big bike” event
A “big bike” party on Koh Lanta, in the southern province of Krabi, has resulted in a cluster of Covid-19 infections, according to officials from the Department of Disease Control. The DDC says there are currently around 10 confirmed cases and 129 people considered “at risk”. The outbreak is linked to a patient who travelled to Koh Lanta from the…
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Thai government plans to amend business, immigration rules, for foreign investors
Foreign investors in Thailand have long decried the onerous, complex, and sometimes downright baffling, bureaucracy that comes with doing business in the Land of Smiles. And it appears officials in Bangkok are finally sitting up and taking notice. Nation Thailand reports that, in an effort to stimulate the ailing economy, the government plans to make some changes to the regulations…
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Minister’s insistence Thailand’s moon mission will go ahead sparks social media debate
Debate is raging on social media following a claim from the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, that Thailand’s plan to orbit the Moon is going ahead. Anek Laothamatas adds that it will be “mission accomplished” within the next 7 years, costing, “only 3 billion baht”. A report in the Bangkok Post says that, according to Anek, Thailand…
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South Korea confirms Covid-19 outbreak in 32 Thai workers, 28 others awaiting results
South Korean officials have announced a Covid-19 outbreak in 32 Thai workers, with a further 28 waiting for test results. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the development, with spokesman Tanee Sangrat saying the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul has been in touch with the affected workers and is ready to help if needed. The Bangkok Post reports that…
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CCSA threatens lockdowns by March “if situation spirals out of control”
The spokesperson for Thailand’s CCSA, Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, yesterday stated that, if the “situation spiralled out of control”, there would be a “nationwide lockdown by March”. The Christmas Day warning followed a week of tracking and tracing from an outbreak that centred on the Mahachai seafood market in Samut Sakhon, specifically, and Burmese migrant workers in the fishing and seafood…
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The etiquette of gift-giving in Thailand
During this festive period, whether to mark Christmas or the start of a new – and hopefully brighter – year, you may want to offer a gift to your Thai friends. Alternatively, it may be the birthday of a Thai friend, or you may have been invited to their home. What are the rules? Below is a short guide to…
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Total of 81 new Thai Covid infections in past 24 hours, including from Samut Sakhon
Thailand’s CCSA has reported 81 new Covid-19 infection – 37 are local Thais, 35 are migrant workers and 9 that were detected in quarantine after arriving from outside the country. The total in Thailand is now 5,910, 1,613 new infections detected in the past 7 days. The 9 quarantined arrival cases are from the US, Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Myanmar and the…
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From the beautiful to the bizarre: 6 Christmas traditions from around Asia
Wherever you find yourself on Christmas Day this year, it’s sure to be slightly different to previous years – or even extremely different, depending on how severe the Covid-19 situation is in your location. But in happier, more normal times, these 6 Asian countries have their own unique ways in which to celebrate the holiday. Eating KFC in Japan Did…
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A very merry Christmas from The Thaiger team
Caitlin, Champ, Earth, Jett, May, Austin, Tim and Mike would like to wish every single one of our readers a heartfelt Merry Christmas. Whilst the challenges of 2020 have brought grief, confusion and sadness to many, it’s also reminded us about the importance of family and friendships. It’s also been a year of change for us too… we’re all in…
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Reasons to celebrate being in Thailand for Christmas
Let’s face it, if you live in Thailand but normally spend Christmas in your home country or elsewhere, that’s unlikely to be happening this year. And if you don’t live in Thailand but have found yourself stuck here (and what a place to be stuck!), then consider yourself incredibly lucky. There are far worse places to spend Christmas – and…
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Thailand non-profit offers Zoom calls with Santa and his elephant friends
Santa Claus isn’t at the North Pole this year. He’s in Northern Thailand. And he’s not with elves. He’s mixing in with some of Thailand’s beloved elephants. Don’t believe it? Give him a Zoom call. Zoom calls on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with “Santa & his Elves” are offered by the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort and the…
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Thai social media gets nasty as old animosities resurface over the Burmese migrants
A Covid-19 outbreak in Samut Sakhon, centred around a seafood market and the local fishing industry’s Burmese migrant population, has unbottled a new wave of anti-Burmese sentiment in Thai social media, never bubbling far beneath the surface. The revelations of an outbreak of some 1,000+ positive infections has opened a long-standing wound between the two countries, including straight out online…
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“Santa Claus of Rayong” rides motorbike through Northern Thailand
Instead of eagerly listening for sleigh bells on Christmas night, children in rural Northern Thailand are keeping an ear out for an engine hum from a motorbike driven by the local legend “Santa Claus of Rayong.” Thailand’s Old Saint Nicholas goes from Rayong to northern provinces every December, driving his motorbike piled high with toys and handing gifts out to…
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Merry Christmas, Thai style
Technically, Christmas is not celebrated in Thailand. The April holiday of Songkran, or Thai New Year, is probably the closest equivalent, when families come together in a celebration centered around Buddhist practices. But December 25 is not a public holiday, and in most cases, the only time you’d find a Thai having Christmas Day off, would be if it happened…
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Christmas across Asia: How Thailand’s neighbours celebrate
Those of us living in Thailand (and those who holiday here in more “normal” times), are familiar with what Christmas looks like in the Land of Smiles. But what about other Asian countries? Here’s a round-up of what the festive season looks like for some of our neighbours. Indonesia Despite being a primarily Muslim nation, Christmas is celebrated by many…
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Thailand News Today | No national lockdown, Bangkok schools closed, Abortion Bill | Dec 24
On behalf of the entire Thaiger team, Merry Christmas to all our readers and viewers. We really appreciate your support. May you have a few laughs and hugs tomorrow. • Despite a record high in new Covid-19 cases, the Thai government has not imposed any national lockdowns. Provinces are now classified on a colour-scale depending on their current level of…
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Bangkok’s Christmas – The Thai capital gets out the tinsel | VIDEO
Christmas is a time to rejoice, a chance for families to come together, for Christians to celebrate and for Thais, to get out the tinsel and dress up Bangkok. A trip along Bangkok’s shopping centre strip reveals a winter wonderland of eclectic displays and dazzling decorations. What’s amazing about all this is that Thailand is, mostly, a Buddhist country where…
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Pattani villager shot and killed while walking home
A 26 year old villager was shot and killed while walking along a street to his home in Pattani’s Sai Buri district, an area plagued with violence related to the religious separatist insurgency in Thailand’s “deep south.” Police say the man’s body was found lying on the road, but did not give any additional details about the case. The Thai…
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Man arrested for allegedly taking videos under students’ skirts
Police arrested a Thai man who allegedly snuck around universities and schools, secretly recording videos under students’ skirts, then posting the footage on Facebook. Allegedly, the 28 year old man, named by police as ‘Pathompong’, recorded over 1,000 videos. The videos had thousands of views on Facebook, and police say it led others to discuss online about how to secretly…
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Bangkok cosmetic surgeon sentenced to prison for patient’s death
A cosmetic surgeon is sentenced to 5 years in prison for the death of a woman who had a severe allergic reaction to the anaesthetic during a facelift procedure. The Thai Criminal Court sentenced the 51 year old Thanapol Thongprasert, who ran a clinic in Bangkok, to jail for recklessness causing the death of 72 year old Nattamol Prachaseri ,…
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PM to host Covid task force meeting as officials say no plans for national lockdown
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will host a special meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today, to debate potential additional disease prevention measures. Having seemingly gone months without a case of community transmission, Thailand finds itself in the grip of a sudden Covid-19 outbreak, linked to illegal migrants. Officials are currently insisting there is no talk of a nationwide lockdown,…
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Officials say no evidence of hoarding, price hikes, among face mask retailers
As demand for face masks spikes amid a new Covid-19 outbreak in the Kingdom, the Commerce Ministry has conducted checks on pharmacies and other retailers to ensure pricing is fair and there is no hoarding of supplies. Permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit says officials carried out spot-checks on 573 retailers yesterday and found no evidence of any wrongdoing. Masks are being…
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Chiang Mai New Year countdown events still on
New Year countdown events in Chiang Mai are still on, despite Thailand’s record spike in Covid-19 cases. Cancelling the celebrations would hurt the already battered economy and local officials decided not to ban the events due to the economic impact, according to director of the Public Health Promotion Division Chiang Mai municipality, Danai Sarapruek. Danai says measures are in place…
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The best places to see 2020 Christmas lights in Bangkok
If you live in Bangkok and you’re a fan of all things Christmas, you won’t want to miss out on some of the best light installations in the capital. With the city alive with Christmas decorations, trees, and Santa installations, here’s a round-up of some of the must-see attractions. Let’s Celebrate at Central Embassy Santa Claus is everywhere at this…
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Officials on the hunt for corrupt border guards blamed for Covid spread
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has put the Deputy Defence Minister in charge of hunting down crooked border officials whose corruption is thought to be behind the latest Covid-19 outbreak. With most of the new infections detected in Burmese migrant workers in the central province of Samut Sakhon, it’s believed many have been smuggled into Thailand illegally, bypassing mandatory quarantine.…
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Bangkok schools, nurseries, close for 12 days in bid to curtail Covid spread
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has closed all 437 municipal schools and 292 nurseries in the capital, amid confirmation of an additional 121 cases of Covid-19 in Samut Sakhon. The central province has become a hotspot of local transmission, with infection primarily concentrated on its migrant worker population. BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang adds that most city officials have been ordered to…
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Thailand News Today | Covid outbreak update, migrant workers ‘dumped’, Phuket’s fake cases | Dec 23
Before we get started today just a quick note about the comments section in YouTube. Like any other news source we get our fair share of trolls, haters and whackos. We also get plenty of interesting comments, and from time to time, some important corrections. During these times when facts matter, and times here in Thailand when protesters are addressing…
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Thai police to crackdown on labour traffickers
Thai Police are shifting their focus from illegal migrants to labour traffickers, saying they plan to make major arrests after enough evidence is gathered. Fingers have been pointing at the Burmese migrant community after hundreds of migrant workers in Samut Sakhon tested positive for the virus. Since neighbouring Myanmar reported a rise in Covid-19 cases back in September, border patrol…
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Ayutthaya elephants “Santas” add a face mask to their Christmas costume
Each year, elephants dress up in Santa Claus costumes to spread Christmas cheer to children at a school in Ayutthaya. This year is a little different. Not only were all the students wearing a face mask, so were the elephants. Using their trunks, the 4 elephants also carried baskets of face masks to hand out to the students at the…
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US conservative media walk back allegations on voter fraud
Some of America’s biggest right-leaning media have spent the last week walking back on their earlier promotion of conspiracy theories surrounding alleged voter fraud and tampering from the November 3 election. Both Fox News and Newsmax have aired segments this week contradicting earlier stories about election fraud and claims focusing on vote machines manufacturer Smartmatic. Without specifically retracting their earlier…
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