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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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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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It is a great ‘responsibilty’ to print 46 million bank notes
You had one job… 46 million freshly minted $50 notes have just been printed. They’re a lovely new design but with one minor problem. There’s a typo, according to the Australian Reserve Bank. The “new and improved” A$50 banknote was rolled out last year, including new artwork and new technologies. But the yellow-ish new A$50 note also contains a typo…
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27 deaths from Dengue fever already this year
27 people have died from dengue fever in Thailand so far this year. That’s the highest fatality rate, year on year, in the past five years. The Public Health Ministry deputy permanent secretary Dr Supakit Sirilak has reacted by sending an urgent letter to related agencies to prepare measures to prevent more dengue fever deaths. It’s estimated there will be…
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New rugby league for northern Thailand – The Lanna Rugby Tens League
With the expansion of rugby in Asia, often the drivers are still individuals at grassroots levels who are making a massive impact. In northern Thailand, Tom Stubley and the newly formed Lanna Rugby Club, in cooperation with others in the region, are forming a new tens rugby union league called the Lanna Rugby Tens League due to start in June…
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Greening Bangkok: 100,000 new trees for the city costing 30 million baht
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is planning to spend 30 million baht in planting 100,000 trees this year to increase Bangkok’s green space. The first batch of 50,000 trees requiring 5 million baht would be planted at public parks and state offices. The second batch of 50,000 trees requiring 25 million baht would be planted by 50 district offices on land…
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33 injured after Biman Air flight skids off Yangon Airport runway
A Biman Air aircraft has skidded off the runway in Yangon, Myanmar and broken into pieces. The Biman Airlines flight was carrying a reported 33 people. Biman is the flag carrier of Bangladesh. At least five women and 12 men were being taken by ambulance to North Okkalapa Hospital at around 9pm last night with more serious injuries. The Bombardier…
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The Election Commission awards 27 parties with seats in the new parliament
PHOTO: The Thai PM warms up for the next round of musical chairs in the new Parliament “Someone has moved the goal posts and changed the soccer ball to a golf ball.” The new Thai parliament has now officially become unworkable, and that’s before anyone even sits down to take a vote. Today the Election Commission awarded 26 political parties…
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Violent passenger charged with attempted murder of Grab taxi driver
PHOTO: Pak Kred station chief Pol Col Pongjak Preechakarunpong – TNA In a follow up to yesterday’s ‘strange but true’ story of the Bangkok Grab taxi driver HERE, police have now upgraded the charges against the attacker. TNA reports that 27 year old Khampee Kleualinchee, a Grab taxi driver, was attacked with a knife after taking a call to take…
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15 car convoy arrested in Songkhla for petrol smuggling
Soldiers and customs officials have stopped and searched 15 vehicles heading north from Malaysia into Thailand smuggling petrol and diesel. Officials seized 5,100 litres of petrol and diesel allegedly being smuggled into Songkhla’s Sadao district this morning at the Tha Khoi-Padang Bezar border crossing from Malaysia. The drivers of the five cars and 10 pickup trucks were arrested on charges…
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Maya Bay closed for at least another two years
Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Ley, closed last June to allow coral restoration and beach recovery, will now remain closed to visitors for at least another two years. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, assistant dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University and a renowned marine specialist says, “The meeting yesterday concluded that Maya Bay is to be closed for…
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Thai banks on 156 billion baht spending spree for recovery
“He hoped the airline could be profitable again in mid-2020.” Thai Airways International is seeking cabinet approval to buy or lease 38 new planes at an estimated cost of 156 billion baht. In the proposal 31 planes will be acquired over the next five years. Thai Airways president Sumeth Damrongchaitham says the proposal would reach Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak this…
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Man found hanged at rental property in Wichit
A man has been found hanged at a rental property in Wichit. His mother believed that he was stressed after being arrested with drugs, and was unemployed. Wichit Police were notified of the incident inside Soi Pracha Saeree in Wichit yesterday. Police and rescue workers arrived to find the body of a man hanged inside his room. He was identified…
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Tham Luang caves to be properly explored and mapped
Local and foreign cave experts have been mapping the Tham Luang-Khunnam Nang Non cave, in the Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai, to create the first detailed map of the cave complex. The mapping follows confusion during the rescue, and mentioned last week by Vernon Unsworth, over the exact location where the boys were found. Mr. Chaiporn Siripornpaibul says the project will take about two years and is intended to discover more…
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Warning for boats going to sea off Phuket
The Phuket Marine Office has made another official announcement today for boats that will remain in force until May 10. The announcement was issued yesterday stating that “The weather forecast of strong westerly winds is expected to bring heavy rains to southern Thailand and the Andaman coast from today until at least May 10.“ “The warning is in effect for…
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Vietjet reports strong revenue for Q1 2019
Vietjet has reported revenue is up by nearly 28% during the first quarter of 2019. In its Q1 (first quarter) financial report the Vietnamese budget airline says international route revenue surpassed domestic revenue reaching 55% of total revenue. In the first quarter Vietjet launched four new international and two domestic routes, a total of 111 routes in its network. Vietjet…
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Second batch of official election results due today
Five weeks after the country’s general election, the Election Commission has endorsed 349 successful constituency candidates for the House of Representatives, of the 350 seats contested. One constituency in Chiang Mai province had its winning candidate disqualified – a bi-election will be held at the end of the month. Today, the EC will reveal the 150 successful party-list MP candidates who…
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Pork-seller arrested with gun, ammunition and drugs in Kathu
A pork seller has been arrested with a gun and crystal methamphetamine in Kathu. Kathu Police arrested 43 year old pork seller Peerapan Saechua yesterday. Police seized crystal methamphetamine, a handgun and 68 bullets. The arrest follows a tip-off from the owner of the rented house in Kathu claiming that Peerapan used a gun to threaten him while also alleging…
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Grab car driver attacked, but gets the assailant to take him to hospital
… the story gets better. PHOTO: Sanook A father has posted a story on social media about the travails of his son, a Grab car driver in Bangkok. The post said that his son received a call to take a customer from Klong Prapa to Muang Thong Thani. But on the way, passing a secluded area, the passenger produced a knife…
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Pattaya temple thief foiled on her 2nd attempt
PHOTO: Pattaya Mail A woman previously wanted for stealing 40,000 baht from a local temple has been thwarted from doing the same at the Najomtien Temple in Pattaya. The un-named woman in her mid-20s masqueraded as a snack seller and entered the temple’s rectory on May 3. She was stopped by 79 year old Lungta Thonghor Tammateero who asked what…
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Three drug suspects arrested in Phuket
Three drugs suspects have been arrested in Phuket in separate cases. They’ve been caught with methamphetamine pills, crystal methamphetamine and marijuana. Police arrested a 38 year old man Kanut ‘Joe’ Meelarb at Soi Thepanusorn in Wichit. Police seized 30.06 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 1,475 methamphetamine pills. He was taken to Wichit Police Station where he faces charges of illegal…
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Weather warning issued for Phuket
PHOTO: Phuket Lifeguard Service An urgent weather warning for heavy rains, strong winds and wave warning has been issued by the Phuket Governor. Issued at 11am today, the warning forecasts “a strong westerly wind is expected to bring heavy rains to southern Thailand and the Andaman coast from today until at least May 10.” The warning is in effect for Ranong,…
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60 NLA members resign to become Senators in the new parliament
About 60 members of the National Legislative Assembly are expected to tender their resignations in the next two days to be ready to join the military-appointed Senate. NLA vice president Phirasak Porchit says that about 60 members of the assembly, himself included, as well as NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholachai, NLA vice president Surachai Liangboonlertchai, Somchai Sawaengkarn and Klanarong Chantik, had been handpicked to…
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NCPO to consider lifting old ‘orders’ passed after the 2014 coup
PHOTO: The Thai PM says, following the coronation, it’s time to revoke some of the old orders Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-gnam says that the junta and the government are meeting today to discuss the revocation of orders and announcements originally issued by the NCPO, but were no longer considered necessary. He noted that some of these orders were issued as…
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Missing Dutch man found dead in Krabi lagoon
An 83 year old Dutch man, reported missing with his dog yesterday, was found dead this morning in a lagoon in Krabi where his dog was still waiting on the shore looking for its master. The Krabi City Police and rescue workers arrived at the lagoon near the Provincial Water Authority Krabi Office this morning. The man was later identified…
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NCPO and NLA members resign to take up positions as senators in next parliament
Members of the current Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly, who are hoping to become senators in the new parliament, are expected to resign as the NCPO prepares senatorial appointments for royal endorsement by the end of this week. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says that the NCPO will submit its list of 250 appointed senators by this Friday. He said…
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Northern Thailand suffers whilst officials play the blame game
Excerpts from an article at ttrweekly.com Inflicting immeasurable damage to the health of residents and incalculable losses on the economy and tourism, the northern smog clings to the hilly landscape making a mockery of government assurances that it has the crisis under control. Provincial and district officials appear to be preoccupied with the task of deciding a date when residents…
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One dead, one injured after stabbing in Chalong
Police are hunting for a Burmese suspect who was involved in the stabbing of a fellow Burmese couple in Chalong. One person is dead and another injured. Chalong Police were notified of the incident in Soi Klumyang at Chalong on Sunday. The Burmese couple who were stabbed were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital. Police arrived at the hospital where they…
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Fire destroys steamed-bun shop in Wichit
Fire has gutted a steamed bun shop in Wichit this afternoon. Wichit Police were notified of the fire at the steamed bun shop near the Dawroong Intersection in Wichit at 12.35pm. Fire fighters arrived at the building to find fire and smoke had already engulfed part of the third floor. The shop was not open at the time. Fire fighters…
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Phuket lifeguard service warning of strong currents along Phuket beaches
PHOTOS: Phuket Lifeguard Service / Newshawk Phuket Phuket lifeguards are warning all swimmer at Phuket’s beaches of strong waves and rip currents. The head of Patong Lifeguard Service Somprasong Sangchart has warned of strong currents, even at Patong beach. Red flags have been set up along the beach. Meanwhile red flags have also been set up on other beaches as…
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One boy drowns, two two others plucked out of the surf in Phang Nga
A boy has drowned while two others have been rescued from the seas off Phang Nga. At 4.20am this morning the dead body of a 12 year old was found under the Natai Bridge, about one kilometre from where he went missing. Kokkloi Police were notified that the three children had been washed out to sea by a wave near…
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Six gamblers arrested in Thalang
The Thalang Police have arrested six gamblers his weekend. Police have arrested six gamblers at the side of a road near a rubber plantation in Srisoonthorn over the weekend. Some of them have escaped when the police approached. Police say they are unsure at this stage why the gamblers were playing on the side of the road in sight of…
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