News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourismāstay 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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Whatās not covered by health insurance in Thailand?
Health insurance in Thailand has important limits that everyone should know. Many policies do not cover pre-existing conditions, motorcycle accidents, extreme sports, or specific treatments. These gaps can lead to unexpected costs during emergencies. Coverage for outpatient care and hospital...
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Pope Francis confirms his ‘pilgrim of peace’ visit to Thailand in November
PHOTO: Father Joseph Anucha Chaiyadej, director of the Catholic Social Communications of Thailand, along with deputy secretary-general Monsignor Dr Vissanu Thanya-anan and Dr Chainarong Monthienvichienchai, counsellor for the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, speak to the media yesterday – The Nation It’s official, the Pope is coming to Thailand. Rumoured earlier but now officially announced. His Excellency Paul Tschang In-Nam,…
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Algorithm update: Google will now promote “original reporting”
“It remains to be seen how such changes will affect news outlets, especially smaller online sites and local newspapers, who have borne the brunt of the changing media landscape.” “Original reporting will be highlighted in Google’s search results.” That’s the claim from the company in the latest changes to its algorithm. The world’s largest search engine is under increasing criticism…
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FAIL! One in seven public transport vehicles didn’t pass safety tests
One in seven public transport vehicles failed safety checks in the first week of a new program Vehicles failed the tests mostly because of a low-quality brake systems and excessive black smoke emissions In better news, only three of 10,236 drivers failed the exam About one in seven public Thai transport vehicles have failed safety checks in the first week…
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Immigration police in the Philippines arrest 270 Chinese in fraud raid
“A total of 277 people were taken into custody in the operation that Philippine officials carried out in conjunction with Chinese authorities.” Police in the Philippines have arrested more than 270 Chinese nationals following a raid on a gang wanted over a vast investment fraud that has cost victims in China millions of dollars. Agents swooped on an office building…
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Wan Yubamrungās subordinate arrested for attempted murder in Patong
PHOTO: Manager Online Last night (September 12), 32 year old Thanpawat Supchotiwanich, a subordinate of Thai Pheu Thai party politician Wan Yubamrung, was arrested in front of his house in Soi Ekkachai 135, in Patong, acting on a warrant issued back in 2010 after he shot a business peer over an undisclosed conflict. Thanpawat is also known as āTong Deksuegaengā…
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New Central outlet by Suvarnabhumi poses no danger, say aviation experts
PHOTO: Skyscrapercity.com The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) says the recently opened Central Village mall near Suvarnabhumi airport is safe and does not pose a threat to aviation safety. CAAT hopes to alleviate the concerns expressed by Airports of Thailand (AOT) who tried unsuccessfully to block the opening of the luxury outlet, citing safety and security concerns. CAAT director…
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Phone shop worker busted for credit card fraud
A man working in a Bangkok phone shop is under arrest after stealing customersā credit card information and going on a shopping spree that amounted to almost 10 million baht. Incredibly, it turns out heās been doing this for over 3 years and in that time, has accumulated a house, a condominium, and 3 cars. 29 year old Satit Junchok…
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Terracotta Warriors coming to Bangkok
PHOTO: Coconuts.co Chinaās renowned Terracotta Warriors will wow Bangkok in an exhibition at the cityās National Museum running from Sunday until December 15. The 2,700 year old works of art are being put on display in Siwamokkhaphiman Hall, in an exhibit entitled, āQin Shi Huang: The First Emperor Of China And Terracotta Warriorsā. The Bangkok Post reports that more than…
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Pattaya shooting suspect arrested
PHOTO: Ruksiam News Police in Pattaya have arrested a man accused of an early morning shooting at a nightclub that has left one man dead and another critically injured. Pol Col Atinan Nutchanat says that Warut Sae-jia (known as āArtā) is now in custody, having been found hiding out at his motherās house in the Prasat district of Surin province…
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US trying to make ‘meaningful progress’ in US-China trade negotiations
PHOTO: CNBC by Heather Scott US trade negotiators want to make “meaningful progress” in upcoming talks with China, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, one day after conciliatory gestures by both sides boosted hopes of an eventual resolution. The slugfest between the world’s two largest economies has cast a shadow over global economic growth with both Chinese and US economies…
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Five killed in Sa Kaew passenger van crash
PHOTOS: Thai Rath A Thai van driver has been killed along with four Cambodian passengers after a car veered across a traffic median and crashed head-on into them. The accident occurred at 10.30am yesterday on the Aranyaprathet-bound Suwansorn road in Wattana Nakhon district of Sa Kaew, on the Cambodian border, east of Bangkok. Police report that a Cambodian girl and…
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Bangladeshi police force gang-rape victim to marry suspect
FILE PHOTO “Police officials on Thursday said the marriage appeared to be part of an effort to prevent the suspects from being prosecuted.” Two Bangladeshi policemen are being disciplined after a rape victim’s family claim she was forced to marry one of the accused rapists in a police stationĀ in the northern district of Pabna. The mother-of-three had accused five men…
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Indonesian forest fires surge, intense smoke floats over neighbours Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia
by Dessy Sagita “The number of “hotspots” has jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre.” Intense forest fires continue to rage across the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan in recent weeks. More than 930,000 hectares of land have been burned, hundreds of residents evacuated, and more than 9,000 personnel have been deployed…
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Vietnam versus Thailand – which is the best for travel or living?
They are both beautiful countries and stand out amongst their south east asian counterparts for their food, culture and scenery. But which one is your choice for travelling or living in? Here are some introductory thoughts… Influences Thailand is a constitutional monarchy and the former king, King Bhumibol, was greatly loved and respected. His son, King Maha Vachiralongkorn, now maintains…
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Government loses another MP as member heads to prison
Another blow to the ruling Palang Pracharath party and coalition after the MP for Kamphaeng Phet province, Pol Lt-Col Waipote Arpornrat, lost his Member of ParliamentĀ status after the Supreme Court upheld the 4 year prison sentence handed down by the Appeals Court for his involvement in the disruption of the ASEAN Summit in Pattaya back in 2009. As the…
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Crackdown on bar closing times following Pattaya shooting
Police in Pattaya have launched a crackdown on bar closing times following a nightclub shooting that has left one man dead and another seriously injured. The suspect in the shooting, which took place around 6.00am yesterday, is still on the run, although police say he will be arrested shortly. Bars and entertainment venues now face a crackdown on their opening…
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Doing Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago in style
Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago in southern Myanmar, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these pristine waters ā yachting and scuba diving. The SY Dallinghoo, a 30 meter classic gaff-rigged schooner crafted by renowned US yacht designer Dudley Dix, will cast off from the port of Kawthaung in southern Myanmar once…
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Outrage on social media over child sitting on roof of moving car in northern Thailand
PHOTO: Sanook Photos of a young child sitting on the roof of a moving car have caused outrage on social media. The pictures, posted on Facebook yesterday, show the child in school uniform, sitting on the roof of a car as it travels along a main road in Lamphun province, northern Thailand. Debate rages over the images, with many pointing…
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Can we defeat dengue? Mosquito trials raise hopes.
“We have seen a remarkable reduction of dengue cases after the release.” by Jenny Vaughan If you’ve ever experienced a bout of Dengue Fever, this will be welcome news. And if you live and work in the tropics in south east Asia, Dengue looms as a constant threat. Hundreds dead in the Philippines; a threefold increase of cases in Vietnam;…
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Can we defeat dengue? Mosquito trials raise hopes.
“We have seen a remarkable reduction of dengue cases after the release.” by Jenny Vaughan If you’ve ever experienced a bout of Dengue Fever, this will be welcome news. And if you live and work in the tropics in south east Asia, Dengue looms as a constant threat. Hundreds dead in the Philippines; a threefold increase of cases in Vietnam;…
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Malaysia demands Indonesia acts on smog-belching fires
“An official in Sarawak state on Borneo is demanding Indonesia send face masks and medical supplies to Malaysia for those affected by the pollution.” Malaysia is stepping up pressure on neighbouring Indonesia to tackle huge blazes tearing through its rainforests and smothering Southeast Asia in smog, as fires typically started to clear land for crops send diplomatic tensions soaring. Burning…
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MP formally breaks away from the coalition over Thammanat Prompao remarks
PHOTO: “Hello?! Did someone ask me something? Mr. Pichet Sathirachavan, leader of Prachatham Thai party, has formally announced they have decided to break away from the governing coalition to join the independent opposition camp with the New Civilized party. Yesterday PM Prayut Chan-o-cha covered one of his ears with his hand as he pretended not to hear one of many…
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Thai police officer arrested with nearly 200,000 meth pills in his luggage
PHOTO: Thai PBS World A serving policeman has been arrested by police in Chiang Rai province after 198,000 methamphetamine pills were found in his luggage on a Bangkok-bound bus. Mae Sai district policemen at a checkpoint in Tambon Pong-Ngam, stopped a Nakhonchai Tour bus bound for Bangkok from Mae Sai, for a routine check.Ā The officers found a locked suitcase on…
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Centara signs up three more Phuket hotels
The surge of new properties continues in Phuket as the developers and Thai business leaders continue to show their confidence in Phuket as an international holiday destination. Thai hospitality group Centara Hotels and Resorts has entered into agreements to manage three hotels on Phuketās northern west coast in Mai Khao. Two of the properties are currently operating, which are the…
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The most influential brands among Thailand’s millennials
PHOTO: ipg-connect.com A report published yesterday lists the most influential brands for Thailandās millennials, who are also known as Generation Y. The report, carried out by Singapore think-tank Influential Brands and Bangkok-based brand agency Neo Target, lists Lazada, Grab Taxi, The Mall, Central, Cafe Amazon, Auntie Anne’s, Krispy Kreme, Mister Donut, Watson, Taokaenoi, Jobthai.com, Acer Computer, S&P and Makro among…
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Coalition considers demoting clumsy deputy agriculture minister, Thammanat Prompow
Key members of Palang Pracharath are now discussing the future of deputy agriculture minister Thammanat Prompow’s as ‘fixer’ or coordinator of the coalition’s minor parties. The coalition’s smaller parties, some of them just single MPs, are in uproar following the controversial minister’s “monkey keeper” weekend remarks, potentially causing new rifts in the shaky coalition government. At the weekend the minister…
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Thai-Australian singer āPookieāā to testify at September 17 hearing into alleged drug trafficking
PHOTO: YouTube.com Former singer Prissana or Priscilla āPookie” Gemelli will testify at a hearing into alleged drug trafficking offences on September 17, along with four accomplices, one of whom is her husband, Cholawit Keetatrakul. A judge at Ratchadapisek Criminal Court postponed the hearing yesterday to ensure all defendants would be present. The 40 year old singer and her 49 year…
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Dental assistant turns ‘pro’ selling fake retainers and braces
PHOTO: WorkPoint News The Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office has arrested an unqualified or registered dental retainer seller that used to work as a dentist assistant. She has been selling the fake retainers to customers online via Facebook. Nattawut Prasertsiripong, from the Department of Health Service Support was contacted to take legal action against the woman making fake retainers…
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Phuketās most expensive car number plate is ‘9999’ costing more than 700K
FILE PHOTO Following the auction for car license plates organised by the Phuket Land Trasport Office over the weekend, it’s been revealed that the number 9999 got the highest bid at 710,000 baht. This yearās auction was for the ‘ąøąø’ category, which represents ātreasure, virtue and fortuneā, and there were 301 numbers available. The Chief of Phuket Land Transport, Banyat…
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Pattaya tourists comes off motorcycle at “badly lit” roadworks
PHOTOS: The Pattaya News Rescue services have had to rescue another foreign tourist who hit a sign at some pipe laying works, falling off his bike. The incident happened in Thepprasit Soi 7 at 2.20am this morning.Ā The tourist suffered minor head injuries and road rash. His Yamaha motorcycle was laying on the ground nearby. The tourist was taken to Pattaya…
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