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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Business as usual – Phuket’s beaches under lifeguard patrol
The Phuket Governor held a meeting yesterday (Saturday) bringing together all the beach lifeguard resources to prepare for the end of the lifeguard company contract which finished at 6.30 pm last night. Several local officials from the areas across Phuket joined the meeting to finalise preparations to send beach guards to each beach on the island today. There are 4…
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More fire jellyfish found off Krabi
More of the fire jellyfish have been found at the beach at Koh Hong between Krabi and Koh Yao Noi. The Chief of Than Bok Khorani National Park, Jampen Pompakdee, and his team collected the poisonous (nasty stings but unlikely to be fatal) fire jellyfish floating along the coast of the Hong Island beach. “The number of fire jellyfish found…
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Where’s Yingluck? CNN report contradicts Thai PM
Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is in London and seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom, a source in her Pheu Thai Party told CNN on Thursday. The Supreme Court convicted Yingluck on Wednesday of dereliction of duty over a controversial rice subsidy program and sentenced her to five years in prison. The scheme cost Thailand billions of dollars.…
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Chinese tour bus catches fire – no injuries
We’re used to seeing smoke come out of the back of the hundreds of tour buses moving around Phuket’s roads, but not like this. 22 Chinese tourists and their 50 year old bus driver, Khunchai Pinyo, had a scare yesterday. “I was driving the bus with 22 Chinese tourists coming back from Thalang to a birds nest shop in Koh…
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250,000 expected to attend the Royal Cremation next month
About 250,000 Thai citizens are expected to attend the Royal Cremation of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Sanam Luang in Bangkok on October 26, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said on Friday. If Sanam Luang becomes overcrowded, the authorities will seek the cooperation of mourners to place funeral flowers at replicas of the royal crematorium at…
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Laypang, Phuket’s star croc, has finally started to eat
The crocodile captured from the tin mine lake near Laypang and Bang Tao Beach last month has started to eat some chicken today (September 29) after rejecting the tasty morsels for a month. The crocodile’s complete DNA test is expected early next month. The 200 kilogram reptile, that remains in the rehabilitation pond at the Phuket Coastal Aquatic Animals Development…
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Ao Sane luxury villa being investigated by the DSI
The 12 metre high beach villa project on the cliff at Ao Sane has been proven to be illegal according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The owners were instructed to demolish the upper structure to meet the legal height of 6 metres back in August. In the meantime DSI (Department of Special Investigations) officials have been on…
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Punching above its weight – Rayong, Thailand
Singapore has been crowned as the Asia-Pacific city of the future by the Financial Times. The city/state was able to attract the largest share of investment in the region in the period 2012 – 2016, putting on top of the Economic Potential category. Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future, by Economic Potential: 1. Singapore 2. Tokyo 3. Shanghai 4. Hong Kong 5.…
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Ao Sane and Nakkerd Mountain under DSI investigation for encroachment
The DSI deputy director-general, Pol Lt Col Prawut Wongsinil, along with his DSI team, Forestry officers and local authorities, visited two alleged encroached land plots including at Ao Sane Beach (Baan Laem Krating) near Nai Harn beach and Nakkerd Mountain in Karon. The first spot visited was Nakkerd Mountain following complaints about an illegal land deed covering 20 rai of…
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Maya Bay being closed for three months next year
Park officials say they’re going to close Phi Phi island’s famous Maya Bay from June for three months next year. Officials of the Koh Phi Phi National park authority held crisis talks yesterday where they were told that the bay has been ravaged by too much tourism. So it’s going to be shut to allow the beach side of Maya Bay, as well…
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UPDATE: Phuket’s beach lifeguard emergency sorted, in the short-term
Phuket’s Governor Norapat Plodthong hosted a meeting at the provincial hall today (September 28), gathering all local authorities, including the Tambon administration organisation with defence volunteers and Royal Thai Navy area 3, to discuss about the beach security measures after the Phuket Lifeguard Company finishes its contract on Saturday night. The Governor says the team of defence volunteers, working with…
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Thailand unfurls National Flag Day
Citizens across the country united in singing the national anthem at 8am on Thursday to celebrate the centenary of the national flag. At 7.45am at Government House in Bangkok, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha formally presented the flag to a guard of honour to be flown in front of the Santi Maitree Building. He then led officials and members of…
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Tourist Police getting ready for high-season
Today (September 28), the tourist police rehearsed aerial transportation of injured people to improve their readiness for the forthcoming high season. The rehearsal took place on the football field of Baan Sapam Mongkol Wittaya School, demonstrating the transportation of injured patients by helicopter. “We got a great cooperation for this rehearsal. The safety of tourists in Phuket is our priority…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, September 28
PM says Yingluck is in Dubai | Polish man suspected of blowing up an ATM ‘planning more attacks’ | Crisis meeting in Pattaya to sort out Taxi/Uber turf wars | UN Aid agencies visiting Rhakine State today
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Don’t hold your breath! Unless it’s for a good cause.
Today in Rawai Phuket, a rather unusual challenge took place with Krix Luther, founder of Clean The Beach Boot Camp, Phuket taking to the water in an attempt to hold his breath underwater. For 10 minutes! The purpose of the challenge was to raise funds, through sponsorship, for the Clean The Beach Boot Camp now in its 4th year. The…
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Unanimous verdict against Yingluck Shinawatra
Update from The Nation The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled unanimously to sentence fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to five years in prison. The fugitive politician was convicted of negligence in preventing corruption and irregularities in her government’s rice-pledging scheme prior to the 2014 coup. The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders ruled that Yingluck had acknowledged…
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Yingluck guilty
Fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been sentenced to a five-year jail term. The Supreme Court took almost three hours to read the verdict on Yingluck’s alleged negligence in her government’s rice-pledging scheme. The former Prime Minister, ousted by the current military-led Government in 2014, wasn’t at the Court to hear today’s verdict. She fled the country on August…
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Crisis unfolding on our doorstep
PHOTO: Voice of America A significant regional humanitarian crisis is underway only a few thousand kilometres from our tropical island. Â Whilst the situation for the Rohingya has been parlous for decades, it’s only recently become acute after a group calling itself the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army attacked several Myanmar Army outposts on August 25 – the Myanmar Army has…
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UPDATE: Phuket Lifeguard boycott of OrBorTor contract
The Governor said today (September 27) that there is no auctioneer joining the bid so far, possibly because of the lower budget of this year. “I can see that the budget has been cut down every year, from 25 million to 22 million and this year 19.8 million Baht. Today is the last day for interested auctioneers to file their…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, September 27
Awaiting the BIG verdict | Another parasail accident at Patong beach | A Polish man arrested over the 300,000 Baht ATM theft | HM the Thai King grants extra days for paying respects at the Grand Palace | Lifeguards determined to boycott next year’s beach lifeguard contract.
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HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn extends time to pay respects at Grand Palace
His Majesty the King has ordered an extension of the final day Thais can pay their last respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the Grand Palace from this Saturday to next Thursday, October 5. The Royal Household Bureau had initially set this Saturday as the last day people could pay their respects before the late King’s…
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Kite-boarding accident at Patong Beach injures Chilean tourist
A Chilean man in his late 20s was lucky to escape more serious injuries after his kite board canopy finished up in trees after dragging the man along the ground and into several parked motorbikes. The incident happened at 3.30 this afternoon (September 26) at Patong Beach. Kusoldarm volunteers attended the scene and the man has been taken to Patong…
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Karabi’s Bok Koranee Waterfall closed
Than Bok Koranee Waterfall in Krabi has been closed due to possible flash flooding. The Chief of Than Bok Koranee National Park, Weerasak Srisajjang, has ordered national park officers to closed down the waterfall today (September 26) after muddy water was found along the swiftly flowing waterfall. In front of the waterfall signage has been installed to strictly prohibit the…
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Buddha decorations cause outcry in Chiang Mai
An American and his Thai wife on Tuesday agreed to remove 36 Buddha-head images from the fence at their Chiang Mai house following a Facebook uproar. With tears in her eyes, 34 year old Nualchan Sonchanthuek says she and her American husband, 68 year old Paul Blum did not expect the images would generate a commotion and they simply wanted…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, September 26
Phuket Lifeguards taking a stand against OrBorTor budget | Yingluck’s verdict from Supreme Court handed down tomorrow | Mass grave of 28 Hindus found in Rhakine | TaT reveal August tourist arrivals | Mt. Agung showing signs of erupting.
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78 year old German killed in his Chalong home
Last night (September 25), 52 year old Niran Pratumsin surrendered herself to police confessing that she had killed her husband in the house they lived. At the scene, police found 78 year old Johann Friedrich Speckbacher dead on the floor, next to a dining table with traces of rope still around his neck. There was no other injury found on…
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Phuket Lifeguards finish this Saturday – not renewing contract
There will be no more lifeguard on Phuket beaches from the end of this month according to Phuket Lifeguard after 7 years of duty. The meeting of the Phuket Lifeguards announced that the Company won’t be joining the auction organised by the Phuket OrBorJor this year. Their final duties finish at 6.30 pm on September 30. “We will finish the…
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R-Rated BKK fast-food snack gets moral attention
The world’s coming to an end, according to the morally-inclined-online. To quote Khaosod’s story… “A woman who makes penis-shaped waffles stuffed with sausage and cheese is experiencing brisk sales – and a public scolding – for her phallic food.” And that’s about it. The preparation and cooking video from Ketnita Prasertsomboon’s indy market snack store has been watched more than 18…
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Fire jellyfish washing up on Koh Phi Phi beaches
A large number of jelly fish have been found washed up on the shores of Koh Phi Phi. The chief of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park warns for swimmers to be aware of the jelly fish around Phi Phi after a lot of them were found washed up on the beaches. “on Ao Ling (Monkey Beach) on…
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Phuket expecting 5 – 7 percent increase in high-season tourists
Phuket Hotels Association President Anthony Lark The Phuket Hotels Association is expecting the number of international direct passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport for the high season of 2017 to 2018 to increase by between 5 per cent and 7 per cent year year-on-year. This, according to Association President Anthony Lark. The latest figures show that from January to April…
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