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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12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Getting ready for the big one – Myanmar’s earthquake threat
Special report from partners Voice of America Last month, the residents of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, felt a strong bump in the night. Their national leaders in Naypyidaw, the country’s thinly populated capital, were also stirred from their sleep. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck between the two cities, in the early hours of January 12. The Southeast Asian country is…
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Seeding the skies over Bangkok to ‘make’ rain to help with smog
The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department is preparing to seed clouds above Bangkok in an attempt to ease the capital’s smog problems. Haze has spread over the capital over the past few days, causing a health hazard for vulnerable people, and leading Agriculture and Cooperatives minister Grisada Boonrach to order that rainmaking operations be carried out. Two of the…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, February 12
‘Kra Canal’ project “not a priority” | Officals jump into action over black sludge washing into Ao Nang and Patong beaches | Student intern uncover 6.9 million baht alleged embezzlement | Student protests ‘must be handled carefully’ | Boris Johnson visits Myanmar | Cloud seeding being used to help settle last week’s BKK smog.
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Patong & Krabi wastewater ‘being tackled’
Local administration officials in Phuket and Krabi provinces are assuring people that they are trying to tackle the pollution problems in the sea at Ao Nang beach of Krabi and the sea at Tri Trang beach in Patong. Broken waste water treatment facilities are being blamed for the flow of untreated effluent from households and tourism-related establishments into the sea…
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Southern power plant demonstrators vow to continue their protest in Bangkok
Opponents of coal-fired power plants have vowed to fight on after the Metropolitan Police designated a protest ban within a 50 metre radius of Government House, forcing the demonstrators to end their prolonged protest in front of the premises. Coal-fired power plant opposition groups yesterday insisted on their rights to stage peaceful protests and said they would appeal to the…
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Towel party in a Phuket Town bar
Phuket authorities inspected the ‘Kanom’ bar in Phuket Town at 9.30 pm last night, after receiving a report about obscene behaviour at the premises. The promotion flyer of the bar has been shared among locals stating ‘On February 10, Towel Party at Kanom. Free Booze, Free Food all night long with pretty girls, coyotes and sexy show’. The team found…
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The man who uncovered the watch scandal
The wristwatch scandal undermining the government can be credited to one man who wrote posts on his “investigative” website about all the 25 luxury watches allegedly worn by Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan in recent years. The online portal CSI LA provided convincing information that led to public uproar, including photos of Prawit wearing the watches alongside details of…
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Reuters detail work of journalists detained in Myanmar
Reuters have released a report on ethnic killings in Myanmar, detailing research done by two of its reporters currently jailed in Myanmar. The news agency details the slaughter of 10 Rohingya men in the village of Inn Din, where Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo spoke with Buddhist neighbors who reportedly admitted to killing the men and burying…
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The new Airbus 350-1000 on tour in Thailand
The new Airbus A350-1000 has landed in Bangkok for the first time for a demonstration flight and a ground display. Following its arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the aircraft took off for a special one-hour flight yesterday afternoon with representatives from the government, airlines, aviation authorities and members of the press on board. The jet’s visit to Bangkok is part…
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Drug courier arrested at Phuket Gateway checkpoint
Last night (February 9), Thachatchai police, stationed at Phuket Gateway arrested 20 year old Prasorn Kaewpradit, from Songkhla province, with 781 amphetamine pills and 28.4 grams of methamphetamine. Prasorn was traveling to Phuket on a Hat Yai – Phuket bus and the bus was stopped by checkpoint officers. During the search, he was acting suspiciously so the officers asked him…
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Five people from Soi Paradise arrested for taking drugs
On Thursday night (February 8), Patong police headed to the entertainment avenues in Soi Paradise and found five staff and customers using illicit drugs. The team of Patong Police along with Region 8 Investigative Police, Tourist Police, Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Navy Area 3 Officers inspected four bars, including My Way, Mo2, Zagclub and Boat Bar in Soi…
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Chalong ‘Carpark’ to finish April next year
Phuket Highway Office Chief, Somwang Lohanut, has updated the progress of Chalong Circle underpass, saying that the construction is expected to be finished around April next year – at least 14 months of more pain for southern local drivers. The office has already installed signs at the construction site suggesting detours via Kata, Karon, Chalong and Phuket Town to avoid…
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Thung Yai sanctuary chief files bribery complaint against Premchai
Chief Forest Ranger Wichian Chinwong has filed a bribery complaint against the president of Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD), Premchai Karnasuta, who is accused along with three companions of poaching and possessing wildlife at the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province. The four entered the sanctuary last Saturday before being captured by wildlife rangers on Sunday after they were…
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Bottlenose dolphin washes ashore in Surat Thani
A Bottlenose dolphin’s carcass washed ashore on Laem Sai Beach in Surat Thani’s Chaiya district on Friday morning, said Tambon Phumriang municipality mayor Yodchai Phankhrut, as he led a team to inspect the animal. The two metre long male dolphin was estimated at 15-20 years old. The carcass had wounds at the tail and all over the body. Already much…
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Land protest in Krabi over 7,712 rai of land
A group of more than 100 Krabi farmers gathered at the Krabi Provincial Hall to protest against alleged corrupt land officers and privately-owned palm garden that they claim encroaches 7,712 rai of forest land. The protest yesterday (February 8) was led by Yokin Khamwong who handed a letter to Krabi’s Governor calling for an investigation on the concession land of…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, February 9
Thai tourists fined for selfies sitting on coral | Social media has its say about Premchai | The cause of Central Thailand’s serious pollution | 20 prison guards sacked | Thai artifacts being called home from overseas museums | 7-11 sausage with aluminum sprinkles.
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Update on Koh Phi Phi fire
The Chief of Krabi Office of Tourism and Sports, Kirada Lamkorat, says that the tourist centre has received reports from 27 foreign tourists who have lost possessions in the fire, mainly important documents, and they have been brought to make a police report at the Koh Phi Phi Police Station to claim with their insurance companies and start the process…
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Thai tourist’s mermaid pose ends up with a 1,500 Baht fine
By Somchai Samart, Pratch Rujivanrom Three Thai tourists have been fined 1,500 Baht each for sitting on a mountain coral at Mu Koh Surin National Park in Phang Nga. After pictures of two women posing picturesquely while sitting on a large ‘mountain coral’ – apparently in Ao Mae Yai Bay in the Surin Islands – went viral on social media, Mu…
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Phuket man found ‘aluminium’ in 7-11 sausage
A Phuket man posted pictures of a sausage he bought from 7-11 on February 6 with the caption ‘Be careful when eating. There’s a small item that looks alike aluminium in the CP sausage. I bought it 20 minutes ago and luckily bit exactly here, otherwise it would have gone in my stomach’. He also added, ‘CP said they have…
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Lost tusk in pachyderm punch-up
Officials at Khao Yai National Park are standing by with medical gear in case more elephant bulls engage in combat over grazing rights – or over a female, as happened on Wednesday morning. Male elephants Plai Duan and Plai Sa-ard were duelling over a female from 7am Wednesday into the afternoon in the Pong Thung Kwang area. Plai Duan sustained…
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Love online costs 1 million baht
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, police are rounding up members of a gang of foreigners accused of running a “romance scam”. Accomplices are being sought after two Nigerians were arrested on Wednesday. Tourist Police Deputy Commissioner Pol Maj-General Surachet Hakpal said 31 year old Emeka Celestine Eze was apprehended at a condominium in Bangkok’s Bang Na area on Wednesday…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, February 8
Premchai house raids reveal weapons and ivory / infamous Tiger Temple to re-open / Krabi Governor says Phi Phi completely unprepared for fires / National police chief orders changes following shooting of on-duty policeman / UN will sit next week to discuss Roningya crisis.
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A raid at alleged poacher Premchai’s house in BKK nets weapons, ivory
Police have uncovered a cache of weapons as well as four pairs of ivory tusks as they searched a residence belonging to Italian-Thai Development president Premchai Karnasuta yesterday as part of their investigation into the tycoon’s alleged poaching in a wildlife sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province. The search was conducted simultaneously in six locations, including in the capital at a residential compound…
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One-stop service centre set up on Phi Phi for fire victims
A one-stop service centre has been set by the Krabi Governor, gathering all the departments involved to assist victims of last night’s fire. Fire trucks have also been brought to the location and fire extinguishing drills has been taught to the locals as an additional measure for the future. After an investigation forensic police have confirmed that the cause of…
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Records broken at windy 2018 The Bay Regatta
A strong line-up of 33 boats and almost 300 sailors from around the world competed in 21st edition of The Bay Regatta from January 31 to February 4, 2018. A travelling regatta that sails through three of Thailand’s most beautiful provinces – Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi – and stays at different anchorages each night, participants came from far and…
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More than a thousand herons and egrets visit Krabi during winter
More than a 1,000 herons and egrets were found in the palm garden at the backyard of a Krabi citizen, 80 year old Jarat Jaihan, in Prudinna sub-district, during their annual escape from the northern winter. Jarat said for the past 3-4 months at the same time of the day, 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm, the birds would stay in…
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UPDATE: Fire on Koh Phi Phi
The fire zone following the blaze on Phi Phi last night is being cleared since early this morning (January 7) while Ao Nang Sub-district Administration Organization (OrBorTor), tourism businesses and Phi Phi Island Protection and Conservation Club have set up a registration list for fire victims. The area where the fire is thought to have started remains limited access, waiting…
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Nine injured in Koh Phi Phi guesthouse inferno
A fire broke out at a row of shophouses on Ko Phi-Phi around 9.30 last night, prompting evacuation of local residents and tourists. The fire is believed to have started at a small hotel, the October Guesthouse, in Soi Slinky and quickly spread out to about 25 adjoining shophouses and restaurants. National Park officials, Navy officers and rescue workers rushed…
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Two charged with murder over Surat Thani Detention Centre murder
The case of a 17-year-old juvenile found strangled to death in a Surat Thani juvenile detention centre today (Tuesday) stemmed from a pre-existing dispute between two rivals, according to Sahakan Phetnarin, director general of the Juvenile Observation and Protection Department. The two teenage rivals, whose names have been withheld due to their age, have already been charged with the juvenile’s…
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Krabi granny still going strong at 111 years old
Krabi Governor, Pol Lt Col ML Kitibodhi Prawit, along with Krabi authorities and Krabi Red Cross, visited a local resident, Pliew Petchpuang who is 111 years old, to greet and grant her with New Year gifts today (February 6). The Chief of Krabi Office of Social Development and Human Security, Kitti Intarakul, who also went to visit the old lady,…
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