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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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Record breaking! Bangkok has highest turnout in voter history
The 2023 General Election witnessed the highest voter turnout in Bangkok’s history. According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), over 74% of eligible voters cast their ballots in the election yesterday. Representatives from the BMA announced the unofficial election result from 6,360 polling stations in Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. Out of the 4,479,155 eligible voters, 3,339,664…
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Storm damages Sukhothai polling station, officials flee with ballot boxes and 2 injured
A severe storm caused significant damage to a polling station in Sukhothai, Thailand, yesterday, injuring two officials and forcing them to quickly gather and secure voting materials. The incident took place at Polling Station No. 22, Area 4, located in the multi-purpose building of Sri Satchanalai Municipal School, in Sri Satchanalai District. Upon arriving, reporters discovered the remains of several…
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Thai postal company transports and delivers pre-election ballots for Thai elections 2022 with 100% coverage
Yesterday Thai Postal Company Limited announced through social media that they have successfully delivered and distributed 100% of the advance General Election ballots both within Thailand and overseas for the upcoming 2026 elections. The transportation was completed using more than 500 vehicles and implemented strict security measures, including the use of GPS systems to monitor the path of the transport…
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Body of missing Russian tourist found floating in Phuket sea
The body of the Russian tourist swept away by strong waves at Promthep Cape on Friday was found floating off the coast of Phuket, southern Thailand, yesterday afternoon. A fisherman spotted the body of a foreign man floating in the sea near Laem Saeng Nakhlay, about 200 metres from Phuket’s Kalim Beach, and informed the authorities at 12.50pm, reports DailyNews.…
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Seriphisut acknowledges election results, citing disapproval of military rule
Seriphisut, leader of the Seri Ruam Thai Party, acknowledged the General Election results and congratulated the pro-democratic parties in a press conference after more than 20% of the votes were counted. He expressed hope that the Pheu Thai and Move Forward Party (MFP) parties would form a coalition government without needing support from other parties. This comes as the election…
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South Korea to raise electricity and city gas prices amid high inflation and cost of living
South Korea announced today that it will increase electricity prices by 5.3% in an effort to partly account for rising generation costs. This decision, initially slated for implementation on April 1, was postponed by over a month due to concerns about the potential impact on already high inflation rates and the cost of living. This will be the second electricity…
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Accessible tourism potential for Thailand’s post-pandemic resilience
The World Tourism Organization emphasizes the importance of accessible tourism as the industry aims to recover post-pandemic. An estimated 10% of the global population is aged over 65, while approximately 16% have some form of disability. As Thailand’s economy increasingly relies on tourism, developments in accessible infrastructure are being implemented in both public and private sectors. Despite existing accessibility laws…
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Thailand Plus Package extension anticipated to attract 6 billion baht investment in three years
The Revenue Department anticipates that the tax measures designed to support the relocation of foreign investors’ production bases will generate investment of approximately 6 billion baht within three years, according to Deputy Director-General Vinit Visessuvanapoom. Visessuvanapoom explained that the cabinet has given its backing to an extension of the tax measures, also referred to as the Thailand Plus Package, which…
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Southeast Asia and China top destinations for overseas business expansion in Asia
Southeast Asia and China are now the top choices for overseas expansion, with 83% of Asian businesses expressing interest in venturing abroad, as revealed in a recent report. The Business Outlook report, conducted by United Overseas Bank (UOB), surveyed over 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as large organisations in Asia. The study showed that over four out…
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Thai airlines report surge in earnings as tourism rebounds
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited and Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited have experienced a significant increase in their earnings for the first quarter, as tourists have started to return to Thailand in increasing numbers. In the first three months up to March, Thai Air recorded a net income of 12.51 billion baht (US$370 million), a considerable turnaround from their…
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Muslim man crowned Mr Gay World Thailand set to compete globally in October
A 30 year old Muslim man from southern Thailand has made history by winning the Mr Gay World Thailand competition and will represent the Thai LGBTQ+ community at the Mr Gay World 2023 contest in October later this year. Nazmadih Mateem Nujan, an outdoor fitness instructor, clinched the title at the event hosted by Bangkok Rainbow Organisation at Mambo Cabaret.…
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Funding populist policies: borrowing or tax hikes?
During the general election, political parties presented various populist pledges aimed at attracting voters. Among these were the controversial 10,000-baht digital wallet handout for individuals aged 16 and over, increasing minimum daily wages, raising minimum monthly salaries for university graduates, suspending debts for farmers, cutting electricity tariffs, and increasing the monthly allowance for people aged 60 and over. The Thailand…
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Vote-buying incidents highest in Bangkok during General Elections, says EC
The Election Commission (EC) reported that the majority of vote-buying incidents during yesterday’s elections took place in Bangkok, which boasts the highest number of constituencies among all provinces. Despite this, the EC noted that the overall number of poll-related violations was lower than in previous elections. EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee disclosed that the commission received 163 complaints yesterday, with 58…
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New government has room to spend 2 trillion baht on populist pledges
The upcoming government is expected to have around two trillion baht at its disposal for implementing its populist policies, according to an anonymous source from the Finance Ministry. The figure takes into account the 500 billion baht needed for the Pheu Thai Party’s pledge to provide digital wallet handouts of 10,000 baht to those aged 16 and over. Should the…
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Thailand’s opposition wins stunning election victory
Thailand’s opposition celebrated a significant election victory on Sunday after defeating military-allied parties, potentially marking the end of nearly a decade of conservative, army-backed rule. However, despite the liberal Move Forward party and the populist Pheu Thai Party leading with 99% of votes accounted for, it remains uncertain if either will form the next government. Complex parliamentary rules, established after…
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Thai woman robbed of 300,000 baht to bag snatcher at SEA Games in Cambodia
A bag snatcher stole a handbag with assets worth 300,000 baht from a Thai woman at a restaurant in Cambodia last night. The victim suffered serious injuries to her arms and legs. The Thai woman spoke to KhaoSod about the theft that occurred at 9pm on Thursday, May 11. She revealed that she visited Cambodia to watch a football match…
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Vaping promotion on social media impacting youth in Australia
Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook predominantly exhibit vaping in a favourable manner, giving the impression that e-cigarette usage is widespread and socially acceptable. In Australia, traditional tobacco advertising has been prohibited for decades; however, e-cigarettes are extensively promoted on social media, undermining some of the progress made throughout earlier years. Most platforms have content policies explicitly prohibiting…
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Calm returns to Gaza as ceasefire holds
Calm returned to Gaza on Sunday as a fragile ceasefire held for the most part, with both Palestinians and Israelis counting the cost of five days of cross-border fire that resulted in dozens of casualties. Fishermen took to their boats in the coastal enclave, as Gazans emerged from their homes after sheltering during the intense exchange of fire. The fighting…
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Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu face off in historic Turkish presidential runoff
Voters in Turkey gave President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu another opportunity yesterday to make their case for the future of the country. A close result means neither secured 50% of the votes and will face each other in Turkey’s first presidential runoff on May 28. Erdogan, 69 years old, rose from humble beginnings in Istanbul to…
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Elderly voters inadvertently tear ballot papers, violating Thai election law
Instances of individuals tearing up ballot papers were reported in various provinces across Thailand. Most of those involved were elderly individuals who suffer from health conditions, and they maintained that they had no intention of damaging the papers. The Royal Thai Police revealed that the police’s election coordination centre had received around 20 reports of voters tearing up their ballot…
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Thailand General Election shows opposition parties in the lead
Preliminary results of Thailand’s General Election revealed that the majority of voters support the opposition parties Move Forward and Pheu Thai to lead the country, potentially ending nearly nine years of pro-military rule under incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Data from the Election Commission of Thailand displayed a strong lead for both parties, with 114 and 111 constituency seats respectively.…
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MFP predicted to form coalition government with Pheu Thai
Academics predict that the Move Forward Party (MFP) is likely to form a government coalition with the Pheu Thai Party and other smaller parties following the recent Thai election. Their assessment comes after the Election Commission (EC) began counting votes when polling stations closed. As the counting continued, MFP led in both the constituency and party-list races, followed by Pheu…
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Turkey’s earthquake impact on presidential election
In the southern Turkish city of Antakya, residents feel that it’s time for change as they prepare to vote in yesterday’s election. Ravaged by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in February, Antakya has experienced significant devastation, which many believe will be a deciding factor in the polls. The crisis has soured the opinions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, potentially ending his…
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Biden administration warns of catastrophic consequences if US defaults on debt
The United States government is facing a potential economic catastrophe if a debt deal is not reached in the coming days. The possibility of the country’s first-ever default is causing concern, as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans are expected to continue this week. The two parties have been unable to come to an agreement, despite warnings from officials and bankers…
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Machine anxiety: How to reduce confusion and fear about AI technology
In the 19th century, computing pioneer Ada Lovelace wrote that a machine can only “do whatever we know how to order it to perform”, little knowing that by 2023, AI technology such as chatbot ChatGPT would be holding conversations, solving riddles, and even passing legal and medical exams. The result of this development is eliciting both excitement and concern about…
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Former ByteDance executive sues company for wrongful dismissal over alleged culture of lawlessness
A former high-ranking executive at ByteDance, the Chinese firm behind the immensely popular TikTok platform, has filed a lawsuit against the company, charging it with wrongful dismissal. According to Yintao Yu’s testimony, he was terminated from his position for exposing what he describes as the company’s “culture of lawlessness.” The legal action in the San Francisco court comes when political…
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Cambodian runner’s determination at SEA Games captures hearts (video)
Phnom Penh witnessed the rise of a new local hero, Bou Samnang. The 20 year old Cambodian runner gained fame during the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, particularly for her performance in the 5,000-metre event. Despite finishing last, her determination to complete the race in heavy rain endeared her to the nation, and she even received praise from Prime Minister Hun…
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Pattaya buzzing as Thai national election polling stations open
Pattaya has been buzzing ever since polling stations for the Thai national election opened at 8am today, marking the beginning of the Thai General Election. The atmosphere has been lively at polling stations around Pattaya, with long queues of eager voters waiting to cast their ballots for their preferred candidates. One notable voter seen waiting in line was Pattaya Mayor…
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Bangkok voting area with large army presence sees crowding and long qeues
Army members flocked to vote at Bangkok‘s Dusit district polling station, while the public complained about long queues and inadequate facilities for over 6,500 people. The atmosphere at the voting site Health Service Centre 38 was bustling and hectic since the polls opened today at 8am. This location, with eight polling stations, has a total of 6,506 eligible voters, with…
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Imran Khan calls for nationwide ‘freedom’ protests after arrest in Pakistan
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has called for nationwide “freedom” protests today after last week’s unrest following his brief arrest and detention. The former cricket star, who has faced numerous legal cases since his removal from office in April last year, was released on bail on Friday when the Supreme Court declared his detention unlawful, AFP reported.…
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