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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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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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Unjust arrest sparks outrage over police corruption in Thailand
A 50 year old Thai man aired his grievances about police corruption after being unjustly arrested for illegal possession of a gun that was not his. The police demanded a 50,000 baht bail fee, which was eventually negotiated to 20,000 baht, in exchange for his release. The victim, Piboon Tanthai, claimed that someone had left the gun at his house…
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Thai minister heats up COP28 with climate change commitment
At the COP28 climate talks in Dubai, Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Police General Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, took centre stage, making bold declarations and unveiling ambitious plans to combat climate change. In a fervent address on December 10, Phatcharavat reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, sending shockwaves through the climate change talks. He underlined the urgency…
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China’s outbound tourism surges due to strategic visa policies and AI use
The increase in China‘s outbound tourism can be linked to the strategic visa policies and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in travel assistants, as stated by Trip.com Group, China’s leading online travel platform. The group’s vice president and managing director of international markets, Boon Sian Chai, highlighted the significance of visa waivers introduced in September in the revival of…
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Thai military doctor with mental illness surrenders after shooting near Bangkok
A Thai military doctor surrendered to police last night after a shooting incident in a village on the Srinakarin Road in the Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. Bang Kaew Police Station officers received a report of a shooting at 4.45pm yesterday, December 11, and rushed to the scene to find the gunman shouting and waving a gun around outside of…
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Thai labour minister takes wages for a spin: Cabinet gears up for minimum wage review
Thai Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced that the Cabinet will be looking into a review of the new daily minimum wage rates. This comes after several business organisations urged the government to uphold the decision made by a tripartite wage committee regarding the increase in wages. Phiphat disclosed that he has no authority to review the rates approved by the…
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Major drug trafficking bust in Mukdahan seizes over 600,000 meth pills
A drug trafficking gang was apprehended in the province of Mukdahan, as Region 4 Police seized a staggering haul of over 600,000 meth pills on December 10. Acting on intelligence, the law enforcement officers intercepted a white Mitsubishi Attrage sedan en route from Don Tan district to Mueang Mukdahan district. Behind the wheels was 30 year old Daeng, a resident…
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Drug suspect accuses police of 300,000 baht extortion and rape
A Thai drug suspect accused Pathum Thani Provincial Police officers of illegally reducing her sentence, extorting 300,000 baht and raping her. The Thai woman and her boyfriend sought help from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive. The organisation accompanied them in filing a complaint at the Office of the Prime Minister at Government House yesterday, December 11. Addressing the media, the…
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Phuket: Danish tourists minivan crash with pickup truck in Thalang
Four Danish tourists were left battered and bruised after a collision between their minivan taxi and a pickup truck in Thalang, Phuket. The crash unfolded yesterday morning, December 11 on the Mueang Mai – Paklok Road in Thep Krasattri. Thalang Police received report of a crash at 9.30am, and rushed to the accident scene where a minivan lay battered on…
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Thailand’s Democrat Party in crisis following mass leadership change
The Democrat Party in Thailand teeters on the brink of a crisis, following an overwhelming loss of members due to a recent change in leadership, according to the party’s former leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. Chalermchai Sri-on, the ninth elected leader of the Democrats, took over the reins amidst internal turmoil. Abhisit, in his first public comment since the leadership election on December 9,…
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Thai widow pleads for help as loan sharks tighten grip after husband’s suicide
The recent suicide of a 60 year old woman’s husband due to mounting debt led her to plead for assistance to deal with aggressive loan sharks. The woman, known as Yay Yuphin, from Uthai Thani province, sought help from Ekaphop Luangprasert and his team from the Saimai Must Survive news page, following her husband’s death. The man had committed suicide…
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Air Canada flight revival: Bangkok to Vancouver route takes off for a holiday high
Great news for holidaymakers in North America and Thailand, as Air Canada today announced the reinstatement of direct flights between Bangkok and Vancouver. H E Ping Kitnikone, the Ambassador of Canada to the Kingdom of Thailand, extended invitations to esteemed guests and partners for Air Canada’s Agency Reception at the Ambassador’s Official Residence. Air Canada has officially reinstated direct flights…
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Tragic phone distraction causes fatal motorbike collision in Thailand
A tragic incident occurred when a woman driving a Nissan March car was searching for her mobile phone in the passenger seat, causing the vehicle to lose control and collide with a motorbike. The collision resulted in the death of an 18 year old female student, returning from her Test of General Aptitude (TGAT) examination. The accident took place around…
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Danish family in critical road accident on Phuket’s border area
A family of Danish tourists experienced a harrowing road accident in Phuket when their van collided head-on with a pickup truck. The accident, which occurred yesterday on the Mueang Mai-Paara Road in the border area between Thepkrasattri and Pa Klok, Thalang, left all four family members and both drivers injured. Around 9.30am, the incident was reported to Phongpipat Kamchomphu, the…
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Thai companies seek dynamic leadership amid challenging times
The need for a dynamic, collaborative and empowering leadership style is paramount in today’s business environment, particularly for Thai companies navigating unpredictable challenges. Leadership development has become a critical issue for companies as they strive to integrate Generation Z into the workforce, reskill older generations, and cultivate a diverse pool of leaders who can inspire innovation and high performance, whilst also…
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Viral TikTok video sparks empathy for elderly woman living in Thai forest (video)
A late-night encounter with an elderly woman asleep on her tricycle sparked a viral sensation and an outpouring of sympathy. TikTok user @nongpraew56, a young model, mistakenly turned down a dim side street and discovered an elderly woman sleeping on a three-wheeled bicycle laden with collected scrap. Accompanied by a friend, the model approached the sleeping woman, waking her gently.…
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Retired Indian civil servant sets up unique Constitution Temple
A 71 year old Sivadasan Pillai, a retired civil servant, converted his small residence in Kudappanakkunnu, Thiruvananthapuram, into Bharanaghadana Kshetram or Constitution Temple, using his pension funds. This unique temple hosts the Constitution of India for worship, similar to the sanctum sanctorum of traditional temples housing deities. Since its official proclamation on January 26, 1950, after three years of independence,…
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Suvarnabhumi Airport opens automated channels to foreign travellers
The Immigration Bureau (IB) announced that Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s automated channels are now accessible to foreigners to alleviate congestion for outbound travel. This decision, effective from December 15, aligns with the Prime Minister’s directive, enforced by Srettha Thavasin, to enhance the outbound immigration system. The move is aimed at reducing the density of passengers who need to rush to catch…
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Festive hamper market heats up as retailers vie for consumer spend
The festive hamper and gift market is witnessing a surge in competition, with major supermarket chains and beauty brands leveraging aggressive campaigns and attractive offers to boost consumer spending during the Christmas holiday season. Following a full recovery from the pandemic’s impact on the retail sector, a substantial budget has been set aside this year to mark the inauguration of…
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Football field gunman caught in Chanthaburi following dramatic escape
The gunman responsible for an attack at a football field has been apprehended in Chanthaburi province after fleeing the scene. He confessed to the crime, revealing that he had discarded his firearm in a canal. Police are rapidly investigating the motive behind the incident. Today, news emerged that the suspect had been spotted at a checkpoint in Chanthaburi’s Ban Laem…
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NBTC and Thai police bust illegal communications warehouse worth over 200 million baht
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Royal Thai Police (RTP) demolished an illegal communications radio warehouse in Pathum Thani province. The joint operation aimed to disrupt the network of call centres, seizing CCTV cameras fitted with SIM cards and 58,400 related items, valued at over 200 million baht. At 10am today, Dr Sornchai Boonyachaiyapruek, the chairman of…
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Folk singer Neung Phalanchai doubles as a rescuer: Helps man during gig
Renowned folk singer and rescuer Neung Phalanchai leapt into action during a concert, aiding a man who was being attacked. In addition to his musical career, Neung invested in rescue vehicles and equipment, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the Rescue Hook 31 team. This act of bravery occurred today. Neung, who stepped into the spotlight as the lead folk…
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Chinese student’s health risk highlights education pressure
A recent incident in China has brought to light the intense pressure placed on students to excel academically, even compromising their health. A 13-year-old girl was seriously ill with a severe respiratory infection, yet her mother resisted hospitalisation due to concerns about her daughter’s schoolwork. The incident has provoked a national conversation about the priorities placed on education over health.…
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Plastic predicament: Thailand faces a ton(ne) of trouble with a 62% surge in waste
Plastic waste in Thailand has witnessed a surge of 62%, escalating from 2.12 million tonnes in 2019 to 3.4 million tonnes in 2020, according to the Thailand Environment Institute. This increase has been largely attributed to lifestyle changes induced by the pandemic, such as an increased reliance on food delivery services. The Prayut Chan-o-cha government initiated a policy in 2018…
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Thai Cabinet reshuffle could impact economy and foreign investment
The Thai Cabinet, currently conducting mobile meetings in Nong Bua Lam Phu – the country’s poorest province, is speculated to face potential reshuffles in leadership or dissolution in the coming year, intensifying the political activities across various Thai provinces. Such changes could pose a risk to the country’s economy, given the current administration is only a few months old. The…
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Six ex-London police officers arrested for offensive messages
Six former London police officers were arrested in connection to offensive messages targeting Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and other political figures. The incident, which took place on December 8, involved racially and sexually offensive messages sent through WhatsApp. The issue came to light following an investigation by BBC’s Newsnight. The accused include Michael Chadwell, Peter Booth, Anthony Elsom, Trevor Lewton,…
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Surat Thani’s hidden gems captivate American tourists
Tourism operators within the southern province of Surat Thani are pivoting their attention to the US market, showcasing the distinctive local attractions. Atirat Danpattaraworawat, who heads the Cheow Lan Lake Tourism Promotion Association, disclosed on Sunday that their recent networking expedition to the United States, spearheaded by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), garnered considerable interest from the US market.…
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Thai police step up probe into underage assault linked to ex-Olympic boxer
Thai police are accelerating their investigation into the case of a 17 year old girl who reported being sexually assaulted after a night out at a club. They are gathering information before summoning Somluck Kamsing, a former Olympic gold medal boxer, for questioning about the underage assault. The incident occurred today, at an entertainment venue on Prachasamran Road, Khon Kaen…
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Devastating road accident in Chumphon leaves one dead, six injured
A pickup truck, carrying six workers, swerved drastically to avoid an oncoming motorbike, resulting in the vehicle flipping and leaving one dead and six injured. The incident occurred around 5pm yesterday, in Chumphon province. Manoch Plodkankan, an investigative officer from the Lang Suan Police Station, was among the first to arrive at the scene. The accident happened off the Asian…
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Thai bars to establish sobering-up zones to deter drink driving
A new mandate from the National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee of Thailand stipulated that entertainment venues intending to remain open till 4am must establish sobering-up zones. This initiative aims to deter patrons from driving under the influence of alcohol. The directive, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, was declared on December 9. Following the committee’s meeting, Deputy Minister of…
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China positions Guangxi as Southeast Asia’s primary gateway
Guanxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, bordering Vietnam, is being positioned by China as the primary gateway for businesses and tourists from the ASEAN region. Its southern China location and connectivity to Vietnam through land, sea, and air routes make it a strategic point for Southeast Asia. The region is equipped with three international airports and three deep-sea ports which collectively host…
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