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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What’s 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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Two escape serious injuries in Phuket storm
Two people have escaped injures after a big tree toppled by high winds landed on their moving car as they were travelling through Thalang on Saturday (June 16). Thalang Police were notified of the incident on Pru Sompan Road at the entrance of Soi Baan Ja in Thapkrasattri, Thalang at 8.30pm. The fallen tree had blocked the road with the…
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Wife missing after pickup is swept into a Ranong canal
By Kanita Seetong Storms, high winds and flash flooding have wreaked havoc across the Andaman region over recent days. Flash floods have swept a pickup into a canal in Ranong’s Suk Samran district last night (Saturday), with one of the victims missing and feared dead. Ranong’s disaster prevention and mitigation chief Kittipon Wuttipongpat said the accident happened near the Wang…
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Bangkok: Be brave to speak, get better jobs and a better social life
(Translated) Young Thais students are still being subjected to a largely rote learning style of education. But some young Bangkokians are speaking out about widening their education and life to embrace the English language as well. And some Universities say they’re on the right track. tnamcot.com is reporting that Thais who are speaking English and conversing with foreigners have big advantages…
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Thai economic growth forecast projections up to 6% – World Bank
The World Bank is looking to boost projections for growth in the Thai economy. In the last financial quarter, expansion of the Thai economy hit a five-year high. Ulrich Zachau, the World Bank’s director for Thailand and regional partnerships, says that a stable outlook and signs that Thai business is investing again domestically are among the positive factors for the…
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Chiang Mai: Judicial officers have “no plans to move out” – Doi Sutep housing controversy heats up
Despite a ban on use of the controversial housing project on the slopes of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai, judicial officials are not only living there but refuse to move out. The campaigners against the ‘scar of Doi Suthep’ held a meeting today, to address the issue of officers living in the judicial housing, despite a government order that nobody…
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Kim’s trip to Singapore – it’s a travel doco you just have to see!
Days after the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in Singapore, North Korean editors have been hard at work preparing this feast of propaganda/documentary about Kim’s visit. It starts by describing him as a “respected world leader” but it gets better with behind the scenes moments of Kim’s visit to Singapore. The enthusiastic narrator, whilst we…
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Monkey chase in Chalong
Whilst mischievous monkeys are being rounded up and sent to uninhabited islands around Phuket, one has found its way into a Chalong residential area. A monkey was found running around homes in Chalong yesterday (June 16). Officers of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) stationed at Chalong Municipality were notified at 10.05am that a monkey was searching for…
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Phuket Governor warns of heavy rains and possible flooding
Following the heavy rain, Phuket’s Governor, Norrapat Plodthong, is expressing his concerns yesterday about more flash flooding. “According to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) Office of the Southern West Coast, from yesterday (June 16) until Wednesday (June 20). There is a Southwest monsoon that is affecting the Andaman Sea as well as the whole west coast of southern Thailand.” “The…
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Five days of wind and rain for the south
The forecast over the next five days in Phuket and southern provinces is not good, if you’re a tourist. According to the Thai Meteorological Department, “The southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea and the Gulf becomes stronger leading to rough sea continuing between June 16-20. 2-4 metre waves will be likely in the Andaman Sea and 2-3 metres in the…
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Pattaya: Pump Up Dance Club raided
PHOTO: Pump Up Club/Facebook Police raided a dance club pub in Pattaya early this morning (Saturday) for remaining open past the legal closing time and arrested 19 people over alleged drug abuse. Police from Pattaya Police station and the Tourist Police division 2 raided the Pump UP Pattaya pub at 3am after receiving complaints from residents of the neighbourhood that…
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Bangkok: Another 50 foreigners arrested in weekly immigration shakedown
In the latest of the weekly crackdowns on illegal immigrants, police in Bangkok have rounded up another 50 foreigners, for overstaying their visas and entering the Kingdom without the correct documentation. The Tourist police joined forces with other police agencies to search 87 areas around the country on Friday night and arrested 50 foreigners, mostly for overstaying their visa and…
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PM backs Myanmar’s efforts in tackling the Rohingya crisis
PHOTO: VOA News Thailand has considered the issue a “domestic” matter for Myanmar, and has also declined to recognise the Rohingya as refugees, leaving them vulnerable to persecution. Thailand is backing the Myanmar government’s efforts to solve the long-running problem relating to the Rohingya in Rakhine state. Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said, “[I] welcome the Myanmar government’s] sincere efforts to…
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Changes to the leasehold bill ‘unlikely to impact property market’
Changes to the Leasehold Bill looks likely to update the way foreigners can maintain rights to use land in Thailand. A new bill has been approved by the Thai cabinet and could become law following the public hearing process that finished yesterday. The intention of the changes to the bill, mooted last year, is to make leasehold arrangements more secure…
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Brand Andaman ready to start promoting the region
A meeting held at the Phuket City Hall, and hosted by Phuket’s Governor Norraphat, announced that southern provinces are planning to boost tourism with the ‘Andaman’ branding. Governor Norraphat says, “A research paper has been submitted on the creation of a tourism brand to develop Andaman tourism, related to Phuket tourism infrastructure. The brand will focus on tourist locations and…
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Nakhon Pathom: Man shoots pregnant girlfriend dead, injures her father
A man fatally shot his pregnant girlfriend and severely injured her father and himself inside the Nakhon Pathom Hospital on Friday at around 1:30pm. Police did not identify the attacker and two victims. Witnesses told police that the young man turned up at the hospital and had a dispute with the woman and the older man who appeared to be…
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New Phuket estate projects get the green light
Phuket housing estates continue to grow as investors are putting their money into the construction of townhouses and single storey housing around the island. The Board of Land Allocation has approved four projects which cost many hundred thousand Baht. Phuket Land Officer Amnouy Pitsuwan says, “Four housing estate projects have been approved for commencement including ‘The Rich 3 @ Paklok’…
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Huge meth bust in Chiang Mai
The big seizures of methamphetamine pills and ‘ice’ continue around the Kingdom. In the last two months nearly 50 million pills have been collected in various stings and raids. Around 9 million methamphetamine pills and 300kg of crystal meth or “ice” was seized in Chiang Mai province shortly after the arrest of a fugitive last Monday, the police claimed. Officers…
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Pattaya: 19th SingSiam war games in the Gulf of Thailand
PHOTOS: trattoday.com Military exercises are taking place in the northern Gulf of Thailand between Sattahip and Koh Samui. Col. Anthony Lee, commander of Singapore’s 188th Squadron, and Rear Adm. Thawatchai Muangkham, commander of the Thai Frigate Squadron, were on site for the 19th war games at the Sattahip Naval Base. “The SingSiam games give Thai forces a chance to improve…
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Pattaya: Koh Larn survey shows tourism over-whelming facilities on island
Consultants have completed a long-awaited survey of Koh Larn’s tourist capacity. The survey says it’s the first step toward new zoning laws to protect the island’s ecosystem. Ampai Sakdanukuljit, assistant director of the Tourism and Sports Council, officially presented the Silapakorn University report his group commissioned to Pattaya Deputy Mayor Apichart Virapal, Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya office Director Suladda…
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Burmese woman arrested with drugs in sting operation
Police have arrested a Burmese woman with methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine. A team of the Phuket City Police arrested 46 year old Thet Mar Win, a Burmese national at a house in Rassada, east of Phuket Town. She was found with 1.08grams of crystal methamphetamine and 14 of methamphetamine pills. Mar Win has been charged with possession of Category…
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Regional: AirAsia says MAVCOM’s ‘damaging tourism growth’
PHOTO: Sputnik International ‘Now everyone can fly,’ but not as many as AirAsia would like. They’re going into a head to head battle with the Malaysian aviation compliance body, MAVCOM. AirAsia is accusing Malaysia’s aviation body, MAVCOM, of holding back the country’s aviation and damaging tourism growth. The airline made the accusations in a rebuttal of an earlier statement released…
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National: 260,000 tonnes of electronic and plastic trash imported from China
Thai PBS is reporting that about 260,000 tonnes of trash have been imported into Thailand in the first five months of this year period this year. This compares to 116,000 tonnes imported for the whole of 2017, said This from the Customs Department spokesman Mr Chaiyuth Khamkhun. He added that, of the trash imported this year, it included 52,200 tonnes of…
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Hua Hin: 68 year old throws himself off fifth floor roof
Banmuang is reporting that a 68 year old Dutch man appears to have jumped from the fifth floor of a Hua Hin hotel. The man had been staying in the same hotel for the past month. It’s reported that many people from the next door Darun Suksa School saw the body as the school broke up for the day yesterday…
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Leading players want charter amended after election
A symposium “Thailand’s Future Democracy: Overcoming Traps and Dreams?”was held yesterday at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan Campus. Probable players in a future political arena, Abhisit, Chaturon and Thanathorn, see the junta’s legacy as barrier to genuine democracy. The Junta-sponsored charter, which imposes curbs on politicians, remains the prime target of big political parties who aim to replace it after the…
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Phuket marks World Blood Donor Day
The Phuket Red Cross is continuing its donation promotion under the slogan ‘Be there for someone else. Give Blood, Share Life.’ The event, held at Novotel Phuket Phokeethra in Phuket Town, was led by the Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and his wife who is President of the Phuket Red Cross, Sudarat Plodthong. Mrs Sudarat says, ‘The International Federation of Red Cross and…
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Great Phuket Monkey Exodus of 2018: 37 more monkeys captured in Rassada
In the Great Phuket Monkey Exodus of 2018, water tanks are now being installed on Monkey Island and 37 monkeys have been captured in Rassada for sterilisation and then re-location. Yesterday (June 15), water tank were being installed on Koh Payu while 37 long-tailed macaques were caught at Soi King Kaew in Rassada. Pongchart Chouehorm, the Director of the Natural…
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60,000 counterfeit travel mugs seized in BKK raids
Most of us will have a branded 100 baht T-shirt somewhere in one of our drawers, maybe even a fake Louis Vuitton bag or wallet, or a Tag Heuer watch we haggled in a Patpong market for 1,500 baht. Fakes are everywhere in Thailand. But travel mugs? 60,000 travel mugs?! Some 60,000 plastic coffee cups, tumblers and mugs bearing brand…
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Chiang Mai: Son finds father dead in car
A man has been found dead in his own car in Chiang Mai’s Muang district. The car was covered near his house when his adopted son found the car with his father inside this morning. Police estimate that 48 year old Somphet Thaso died at least two days earlier. His adopted son, Sukit Somboonpattanakoon, said Somphet could not be accounted for…
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Illegal timbers seized in Phang Nga
A team of Border Patrol Police based in Phang Nga this week have seized 13 logs inside a palm plantation in Phang Nga. The discovery came after police received tip-offs about deforestation in Khura Buri, Phang Nga. More than 20 border patrol police investigated and found 13 logs size 2.50 – 2.80 metres in the forest. These logs are now…
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