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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The 5 most common travel emergencies in Thailand and how to be prepared
Thailand is a popular destination known for its dynamic culture, stunning beaches, and bustling cities however, travellers can face unexpected travel emergencies that include medical issues, road accidents, petty theft, and natural disasters. To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip,...
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China threatens retaliation over restrictions on Chinese tourists
China is striking back as governments around the world are making policies for Chinese tourists entering their countries. A massive Covid-19 wave has been surging through the mainland, but January 8 reopening plans are still in place allowing a huge tourism demographic of Chinese tourists to flock to holiday destinations worldwide. But not only that! China is threatening countermeasures against…
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Thailand prepares measures to prevent influx of Covid-19 cases from China
As China prepares to open the floodgates on Sunday, Thai government officials are discussing measures to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks from the upcoming influx of Chinese tourists, given the prevalence of the virus in the People’s Republic of China at present. The virus spread rapidly in China after Beijing dropped three-year-long stringent Covid measures last month. Then, Beijing dropped mandatory quarantine…
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Indian tourists cancel Thailand trips after govt impose Covid test
The Thai Hotels Association last night reported that tourists from India are cancelling trips to Thailand in their droves after their government insisted that returning travellers produce a negative Covid-19 test before reentering the country. The new mandate has come as a shock to Indian holidaymakers as the rest of the world contemplates what to do with returning Chinese tourists.…
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Uncovering the Hidden Gems of Thailand’s Islands
Thailand is a beautiful place to visit. It has been home to all sorts of tourist attractions, amazing landscapes, beaches, and nightlife you’ll remember. There are many islands and they hide all sorts of things making Thailand a place that you need to visit. Thai people enjoy lots of different things in their free time and just like anyone else…
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Famous dance teacher arrested for sexual assault allegation
Police arrested a well-known Thai dance instructor, Chutidate Thongyoo after sexual assault allegations were made by an underage teenage boy. The teacher denied the allegations. The teenager filed a complaint with the police alleging that he had been sexually harassed by the 60 year old teacher, also known as Thiam, on September 16 last year. The boy revealed he was…
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33 million baht budget for Bangkok train station sign smells like corruption
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob smells corruption coming from a 33 million baht budget for a new sign at Bangkok‘s central train station, whose name is changing from “Bang Sue Junction” to “Bangkok Apiwat Central Station.” The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) allegedly signed a contract approving a budget of 33,169,726.39 baht for a new sign to reflect the train station’s…
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16 year old boy dies after playing Russian roulette
A 16 year old boy was found dead at an abandoned house in the Nong Chok district of Bangkok. The teenage boy’s two friends said they were playing Russian roulette and he shot himself. Officers from Lam Hin Police Station and a rescue team were notified about the shooting at 10.40pm last night and rushed to the abandoned house situated…
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Thai baht and Singapore dollar battle for strongest regional currency
China is reopening its borders, pushing economists to predict that an influx of Chinese tourists to Thailand will propel the Thai baht into Southeast Asia’s reigning currency in 2023. But the baht has one regional competitor: the trusty Singapore dollar. Thailand’s economy heavily depends on tourism revenue. In 2019, Chinese tourists made up over 40% of the 40 million tourist…
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Temple new year coffin ceremony lets you be reborn
After partying hard on New Year’s Eve, many of us start the year feeling pretty dead. But for one temple on the far edges of Bangkok, they take that feeling to the next level. A New Year’s Day tradition sees temple followers crawl into coffins to invite good luck and rid themselves of bad luck for 2023. Wat Takian, in…
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Taxi driver arrested for beating a motorcycle rider with baseball bat
Police arrested a taxi driver in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen after he beat a motorcycle rider with a baseball bat and fled the scene. The victim was hit by another car as he lay on the road in the central province of Pathum Thani and remains in hospital. The taxi driver claimed he attacked the victim in self-defence.…
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Fisherman reels in body of young student in northern Thailand
A fisherman pulled ashore the body of a 21 year old woman from the Nan River in Phitsanulok province in northern Thailand this morning. At 10.30am, officers from Mueang Phitsanulok Police Station received a report that a young woman’s body was found by a fisherman on the Naresuan Bridge over the Nan river in front of Wat Ratchaburana. Police, doctors…
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Muay Thai fighter laughs off sexual assault in video
A well-known Muay Thai fighter joked and showed no remorse after uploading videos of sexually assaulting women at a friend’s birthday party. Thaworn Sudchanham, also known as Wanchalong PK Saenchai, was slammed for his inappropriate behaviour by a British campaigner against gender-based violence, and by many others, after videos emerged of him sexually assaulting women at a party. Thaworn uploaded…
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Stolen mobile phone returned after crazy journey
A lucky tourist got his mobile phone back after leaving it in a taxi in Phuket where the driver threw it away in anger. The incident took place on New Year’s Eve, with police receiving a complaint and filing a report in the wee hours of January 1. A man from Kuwait reported leaving his phone in a minivan taxi…
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Phuket chosen as pilot province to promote organic tourism
The popular holiday resort of Phuket has been chosen as a pilot province to promote organic tourism. The Thai Organic Consumer Association (TOCA) revealed it wants to boost organic tourism in the province in an effort to connect hotels and consumers with farmers digitally and introduce incentive reward programmes. TOCA President Arrut Navaraj believes that information transparency would benefit everyone…
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Thailand – Malaysia shuttle train resumes service after bombings
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) resumed train services between Thailand and Malaysia with the utmost security on Sunday after suspending the service for 28 days following two consecutive bombings that killed three people last month. The SRT is running two round trips per day between Hat Yai in Songkhla province to Padang Besar in Malaysia’s Perlis state. On December…
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Top ten fake news stories in Thailand 2022
Before New Year’s Eve, we recounted the top ten news stories that generated the most buzz on Thai social media. But what about the stories last year that weren’t true, didn’t exist, or simply didn’t happen? Thai PBS World reported yesterday that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society released a top ten fake news story list. 10. N-Dro, a…
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218 killed and 1,647 injured over 4-day new year holiday
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), 218 people were killed and 1,647 were injured in road accidents during the four-day new year holiday from December 29 to January 1. The Director of the DDPM, Boontham Lertsukheekasam, reported yesterday, January 2, that there were 1,664 road accidents across the country during the holiday break, causing 218 deaths and…
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Young British woman ‘may never walk again’ after fall from balcony in Thailand
A young British tourist is seriously injured and remains in hospital in Thailand after falling from a balcony on the popular party island of Koh Pha Ngan. Maddi Neale-Shankster, a 21 year old beautician from Coventry in England, suffered a fractured spine and is receiving treatment to drain fluid from her chest following the accident. The beautician travelled to Thailand with…
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Thai restaurant develops Flu-Shot Soup to prevent flu and Covid-19
A Thai restaurant in the United States has cooked up a tasty dish to feed its hungry customers and at the same time found a remedy to prevent them from getting flu and Covid-19 – Flu-Shot Soup! The family-owned Thai restaurant, Taste of Thailand, in Denver, Colorado, developed the special recipe some 20 years ago but it only came to…
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Man fails to outrun train on motorbike, dies
If you’ve ever thought about trying to outrun a train… Don’t. Yesterday in Pattaya, a man thought he could probably make it across the tracks before an oncoming train reached the crossing. He thought he could outrun the train, and he was wrong. The man was killed when Train #5101 en route to the Sattahip district nearby in Chon Buri…
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CNN needs geography lesson after mistaking Taiwan for Thailand
United States-based news platform CNN needs a geography lesson after confusing Taiwan for Thailand, or more specifically, Taipei for Bangkok. The multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, confused Thailand for Taiwan several times during their live broadcast countdown to New Year’s Day CNN Hong Kong reporter Kristie Lu Stout asked her Taiwan counterpart in Taipei, Will Ripley, how…
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Electric vehicles to hit the accelerator this year, says FTI
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts a bold future for Thailand’s electric vehicle (EV) industry, unlike the International Monetary Fund which believes the kingdom is heading for a recession. The FTI reckons the EV industry will hit the accelerator this year and sell between 25,000, to 35,000 cars, reports Bangkok Post. But, to achieve that target the EV industry…
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5 Things You Need to know before Befriending or Dating a Thai
In this episode of This is Thailand, Natty Warisa will share with you 5 top cultural tips that a non-Thai would need to know before befriending or dating a Thai person. Thailand is the most conservative country and abides by a unique set of unwritten rules. Listen till the end to find out what all of the quirky Thai customs…
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IMF predicts a recession in Thailand
The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts Thailand and Southeast Asian countries will suffer from recession this year along with the rest of the world. Kristalina Georgieva believes a third of the global economy will be in recession this year, including Thailand, and Vietnam. The 69 year old Bulgarian economist reckons 2023 will be “tougher” than last year…
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Thailand’s new fighter jets still on horizon
It will be the middle of this year before Thailand’s Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) knows whether or not Washington has approved the sale of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. RTAF Commander-in-Chief, ACM Alongkorn Wannarot said the air force was still negotiating preparations for the purchase of the jets, but the sale has yet to be approved by Washington. The…
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Chinese tourists banned from entering Morocco
Thailand may have stretched out its welcoming arms to China but the same can’t be said of other countries, especially Morocco which has banned all mainland tourists from entering the African country. Thailand Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Saturday was quoted as saying that his ministry was “very pleased to learn that China will implement new border control…
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Proposed national uniforms to make traffic police approachable
The Deputy National Police Chief of Thailand recognizes that the Thai police have a reputation issue. He wants to take action to make police seem more approachable, friendly and organized. To do so, he’s calling for a change to the uniform the traffic police wear. After travelling around the country and inspecting police stations in various locations, he found that the…
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Talking With Gary Butler About How ‘The Roaming Cook’ Began
Gary Butler is an Englishman who creates fun and informative videos about the street food of Bangkok on his YouTube channel. He takes viewers on an exciting culinary journey, exploring the diverse range of dishes available in the city’s bustling street markets. With a keen eye for detail, Butler expertly captures the colors, aromas, and flavors of Thai cuisine, giving…
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Thailand makes another travel list: Fodor’s No List
Thailand boasted recently of its ranking on many travel lists, from being among the least corrupt countries in Asia to ranking one of the best locations for expats, and rating one of the safest countries to visit. The country has made the ranks by having some of the top-rated food and beaches in the world. But Thailand also received a…
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Deputy PM’s cunning plan to remain in power? There isn’t one
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has a cunning plan to remain in power. The plan is so cunning that there is no plan. No, it’s not an episode of Blackadder. Deputy PM Prawit reckons the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) will remain in office after the May 7 election this year without having to woo the electorate. The Pheu Thai Party was out…
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