News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
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5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Woman faces charges after allegedly slapping a student for not standing during national anthem
A woman is facing assault charges after she allegedly slapped a 15 year old student who didn’t stand up for the national anthem at a train station in Ayutthaya. The woman, a food vendor at the train station, allegedly approached the student when the anthem ended. In a video shared by thousands on Twitter, the woman said “Stand up. Come…
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Man arrested for allegedly stealing 70 pairs of women’s underwear
A 46 year old man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into homes and stealing women’s underwear. Police say they found 70 pairs of panties and 3 bras at his house in Ratchaburi, a province west of Bangkok bordering Myanmar. Police also found some methamphetamine and amphetamine pills at the man’s home, charging him with both theft and drug possession.…
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2 shot outside Bangkok massage parlour
Police are investigating a shooting at a Bangkok massage parlour where a person was shot in the neck and another person shot in the backside. Police have not identified the shooter, but a post by a Facebook user accused an alleged “well known gambler” of shooting the 2 people. Police were called at 3am Wednesday to the Saree Sauna &…
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Thailand tourism officials to tap into Chinese market as they attract more visitors
Thailand has so far welcomed 2 flights with Chinese visitors on the new Special Tourist Visa, a first step after a 7 month ban on international tourists. Now, tourism officials are proposing to bring in more whilst tapping into the vast Chinese market to draw in more visitors. Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn says they’re planning on 7.45…
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Thailand to introduce separate test for big bike riders from next year
From next February, motorbike riders in Thailand will be required to pass a separate driving test and training session if they wish to receive a licence for a “big bike”. The regulation has been announced in the Royal Gazette, after the government approved it last August, in a bid to cut road traffic accidents which are predominantly motorbikes (about 75%) and…
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Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival lowers flags, spirits return to the heavens
WARNING! Content below contains photos of self-mutilation that some may find disturbing. The flags on Go Teng poles were lowered on Monday, ending Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival and symbolising that the spirits have returned the heavens. The flags are raised at the start of the festivities each year at participating shrines, calling on the spirits to descend from the heavens.…
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PM refuses to resign, citing concerns over political divide, the economy, Covid-19
“I refuse to comply with the proposals that do not represent the needs of the majority of the people.” The Thai PM has made it clear he will not resign, saying he has no intention of “abandoning the country during a crisis”. Addressing Parliament yesterday, Prayut Chan-o-cha pointed to the current problems facing Thailand, including the political divide in society,…
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Opposition MP slashes his arm in protest at treatment of anti-government activists
An opposition party MP has slashed his arm in front of officials in Parliament, in protest at the treatment of political activists. Visan Techatirawat, a partY member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party, says the gesture was his own personal protest to oppose the government’s action against peaceful protesters at a rally in the capital on October 17. Police remain…
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Jailed activists request individual cells, access to books, ahead of exams
3 protest leaders currently behind bars have spoken with the Justice Minister to ask for a number of personal requests to be granted. Panupong Jadnok, Parit Chiwarak, and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, each met with Somsak Thepsutin, with Panupong calling for a separation between prisoners awaiting trial and those who’ve already been convicted. Both Panupong and Parit are being held at Bangkok…
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2 foreigners in same hotel as the Koh Samui woman test positive for Covid-19
Officials are reviewing the use of a Samut Prakan hotel, just outside Bangkok, as a quarantine facility, after 3 foreign nationals staying there tested positive for Covid-19. The first was a 57 year old woman who developed symptoms of the virus after she had completed 14 days’ quarantine and had returned to her home on the island of Koh Samui.…
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Thailand News Today | German Embassy, More STV tourists, Thanathorn in trouble | October 27
Today’s latest Thai news from The Thaiger, hosted by Tim Newton with full, echoey sound! Sorry about the minor audio issues! From Bangkok to Berlin – protesters deliver letter to German Embassy Protesting students last night submitted a letter to the German Embassy, to be passed on to the German Government. The protest started around 4pm when the rally gathered…
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Phuket told to prepare “response plan” in case of second Covid-19 outbreak
As Phuket awaits foreign tourists, city officials are told to prepare a “response plan” in case of a second wave of Covid-19. An official from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports held a workshop in Phuket today to discuss the risk of another outbreak as the country opens up to those on the Special Tourist Visa. The ministry’s permanent secretary…
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“Koh Samui is still safe”, Covid-19 measures in place – Health Minister
Koh Samui is safe to visit … apparently. Even though a woman on the island recently tested positive for Covid-19, the world’s favourite public health minister is assuring the Koh Samui public that health measures on the island are effective and it’s still a safe destination for tourists, presumably the few Thai tourists willing to pay extortionate airfares demanded by…
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Royalists rally at US Embassy, call on Americans to stop “interfering” with Thai politics
Royalists gathered this morning at the United States Embassy in Bangkok and called on Americans to stop a so-called “hybrid war,” implying that the US government is interfering with Thailand politics during a time of ongoing pro-democracy protests. Dressed in yellow, the colour symbolising the Thai Monarch, the protesters held signs calling on an end to an alleged hybrid war.…
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Pattaya – fighting to survive its Covid crisis
Pattaya, like some of Thailand’s other former tourist hotspots, is facing some critical challenges. Hundreds of thousands of workers have left the city because there’s simply no work and up to 50% of the city’s shops are closed, some never to re-open. The Thaiger filmed most of this video on a long weekend at the end of October, the busiest…
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6 face extortion charges after allegedly posing Thai immigration police officers
Police have arrested 3 people and issued arrest warrants for 3 others on extortion charges after they allegedly posed immigration police officers in Rayong and visited business owners with migrant staff, asking them for money. Police say 6 men wearing immigration police uniforms visited business owners in Rayong on September 15. They allegedly asked for money from the businesses with…
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Both rallies outside German Embassy broke the law – deputy police chief
Both of the rallies outside the German Embassy in Bangkok – the royalists and government supporters earlier yesterday afternoon and the pro-democracy protesters in the evening – are illegal, police say. Deputy Metropolitan Police Chief Piya Tawichai says both rallies held outside the embassy on Sathorn Road did not have the permit required to hold a gathering and demonstrators violated…
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Thai PM: Do you know what will happen if I resign?
The Thai PM has asked opposition MPs if they know what would happen if he resigns – then proceeded to tell them. Speaking in Parliament yesterday, prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called on members of the opposition to clarify whether they want him to resign or to dissolve the House of Representatives. Thai PBS World reports that his comment was in…
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Son of Sultan of Brunei dies at the age of 38
The son of the Sultan of Brunei has died at the age of 38, the government of Brunei has confirmed. Prince Azim, who was 4th in line to the throne, passed away on Saturday morning. While the cause of death has not been confirmed, his Wikipedia entry says he succumbed to a long illness. CNN reports that the prince had…
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Thanathorn, other former Future Forward Party officials, are facing criminal charges
16 people from the dissolved Future Forward Party, including the former leader Thanathorn Juangroonruangkit, could face criminal charges pressed by the Election Commission for a large donation that exceeds the maximum allowed under the Political Parties Act. The timing of the politically-charged legal action coincides with a peak of anti-government protest activity. The 191 million baht loan, which exceeds the…
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Education ministry says curriculum revamp will promote analytical thinking over rote learning
As anti-government sentiment among Thailand’s student population shows no sign of abating, the Education Ministry says it plans to overhaul the Basic Education Core Curriculum to provide students with a better understanding of political developments in the Kingdom between 1932 and 1957. Supat Chumpathong says the new curriculum will also place more of a focus on analytical thinking, instead of…
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From Bangkok to Berlin – protesters deliver letter to German Embassy
Protesting students last night submitted a letter to the German Embassy, to be passed on to the German Government. The protest started around 4pm when the rally gathered at the Sam Yan intersection, near the Chulalongkorn University, and made its way along Rama IV Road to the German Embassy in Sathorn Road, some 1.5 kilometres. After some 10,000+ students descended…
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100+ test negative after Koh Samui Covid-19 case of the Thai/French woman
So far, more than 100 people have tested negative for Covid-19 after a 57 year old French/Thai woman tested positive for the virus in Koh Samui. Her case is the first on the island in 7 months and health officials are investigating to determine if she came in contact with the virus on the island, when travelling from France or…
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Thousands of protesters descend on the German Embassy in Bangkok awaiting to submit their petition
7.15pm and the protesters arrived out the front of the German Embassy. Thousands have blocked the way in Sathorn Road but protesters say they’re waiting for more to arrive. Estimates of the crowd say there are up to 10,000 anti government protesters already. Protesters say they’re waiting for an invitation by the German Ambassador for representatives to enter the embassy…
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Thailand News Today | German Embassy rally, permanent residency prospect, crowds in Pattaya | Oct 26
Today’s latest news from The Thaiger, looking at the latest in the protests, a surge of crowds in Pattaya and the latest proposals from the Thai government to increase a new stream of revenue. Permanent residency, changes to quarantine period – Government mulls strategies to revive economy Thailand’s energy minister has outlined a number of new strategies the government is…
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Chon Buri fire kills 1, injures another
A building in Chon Buri caught fire yesterday afternoon, killing 1 person and seriously injuring another. The fire started on the second floor of the 4 storey building on Pattaya’s Sukhumvit Road and it took firefighters an hour to extinguish. The second floor was destroyed and a burnt body was found in one of the rooms. Another person was severely…
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Expert says all rail crossings should be upgraded after fatal train-bus collision
After the fatal freight train-charter bus collision earlier this month, authorities are looking into ways to make the rail crossings safer and to prevent potentially deadly incidents from happening in the future. An expert in rail engineering says all rail crossings need to upgraded, urgently, while unofficial or illegal crossings should either be permanently closed off or upgraded with the proper…
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Malaysian PM called to quit, criticised for “abuse of power” during Covid-19 crisis
While protesters in Thailand are calling on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign, the Malaysia PM Muhyiddin Yassin is experiencing similar calls after he attempted to declare a state of emergency amid a rise in Covid-19 infections, but the request was rejected by the Malaysian King. Some say the prime minister’s attempt to impose the order was intended to suspend parliament…
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Anti-government protesters plan march to German Embassy today
A political rally is being planned at the German Embassy on Bangkok’s Sathon Road this evening as anti-government activists continue to call for the PM’s resignation and pout pressure on the government for reforms to the country’s political system and constitution. Thai PBS World reports that protesters are expected to gather at the Sam Yan intersection on Rama IV Road…
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Parliament to discuss political protests in 2 day special session
The Thai Parliament is now holding a 2 day ’emergency’ parliamentary session to discuss the ongoing pro-democracy protests. House Speaker Chuan Leekpai says he wants MPs and senators to work together to find a solution, but some commentators say it will just cause more conflict between parties. Even amongst the government coalition there are some 20 different political parties that…
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