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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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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Songkran 2022 might be back on in Thailand, but…
UPDATE A Songkran with water MAY end up being a thing for 2022. This moist bombshell floating around the Thai media this afternoon. But you’ll need a face mask, an ATK tests and only at designated zones. The change of mind surprised everyone at this afternoon’s CCSA daily briefing. According to a post on the Khaosod English Facebook page, it…
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Satun border between Thailand and Malaysia to reopen in April
The Satun border between Thailand and Malaysia will reopen on April 1 to all cross-border traffic. Thailand’s CCSA announced yesterday that more entry points will also be opened under the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes. These entry points include the sea port in Surat Thani for registered Thai vessels and Thai crews, as well as the airports in Hat…
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Tangmo: Fresh autopsy of Thai actress dispels suspicions (preliminary findings)
A second autopsy of the body of Thai actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharavirapong was conducted Thursday afternoon by the Central Institute of Forensic Science at Thammasat University Hospital in Bangkok. The actress’ mother, Panida Sirayootyotin, requested the re-examination to confirm her daughter’s cause of death and to dispel any skepticism surrounding the high-profile investigation. READ: Tangmo: Panel to verify 2nd autopsy…
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Iconic Thai rockstar writes song “Let go of Covid”, calls to end Covid-19 restrictions
An iconic Thai rockstar released a song this week calling on Thailand’s government to lift all Covid-19 restrictions. The song is titled “Let go of Covid”. The singer, known to Thais as ‘Aed Carabao’, said in a post that he went to a football tournament in the UK, and was shocked by how much life had returned to normal compared…
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“Happy Water” teen drug party at Pattaya luxury villa busted
Pattaya City Police busted over 20 teenagers at a drug party at a Pattaya luxury villa in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri yesterday. The Narcotics Suppression Bureau superintendent says one of several drugs found at the party was “Happy Water”. Happy Water is a drug powder mixed with liquor that is popular in China. The Pattaya News reports that…
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Myanmar to reopen April 17 to travellers from abroad
After two years, Myanmar will finally allow international tourists to enter the country starting April 17. Visitors must be fully vaccinated, and will be required to quarantine for a week, according to the country’s health ministry. They will also have to take two RT-PCR tests. Apart from the ongoing violence against its own citizens and the current military government unrecognised…
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Thailand’s State of Emergency extended, again
Two years into Thailand’s reaction to the Covid pandemic, Thailand’s State of Emergency will remain in effect after being extended for another two months. The emergency decree allows the Government to tackle the outbreak through its Covid-19 task force – the CCSA. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration makes decisions, relating to internal Covid policy and government reaction, on the run…
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Monkeying around in Chon Buri: Rare ‘albino’ monkey resembles Chinese legend
One of two rare twin monkeys, known by locals as ‘albino’ monkeys, was spotted on a mountain in the Saensuk district of Chon Buri province. Locals told The Pattaya News that although the monkeys are friendly, they’re usually very hard to spot, since they live high up on the mountain. The caretaker of a shrine on the mountain, on the…
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Unpacking the long and winding road to ‘endemic’ in Thailand – latest changes to Covid restrictions
Strap in for the tortuous journey towards Thailand’s opening up without the Covid red tape – a four month trip where the country’s long list of confusing and sometimes conflicting restrictions will slowly be binned. But even when we get to July, if all goes to plan (it rarely does), we will still face a number of lingering questions about…
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Plans to scrap pre-departure Covid-19 test requirement still need confirmation
It might soon get a little easier to travel to Thailand. The government plans to scrap the pre-departure Covid-19 test requirements for vaccinated travellers entering the country under the Test & Go and Sandbox schemes. A spokesperson says they are waiting for confirmation. Under the planned revisions, just a PCR Covid-19 test is needed on arrival and a self-administered rapid…
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Another dry Songkran. No water fights for the Thai New Year
It’s going to be another dry Songkran. For the third time, water fights have been banned for the Thai New Year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The holiday, which is April 13 to 15 this year, is celebrated with massive water fights with crowds shooting water guns, spraying water hoses, and dumping buckets of water on each other. Everyone gets…
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Thailand prepares to transition to an endemic phase by July 1
Thailand plans to declare Covid-19 an endemic by July 1 and has laid out a plan to focus on reducing infection rates and coronavirus-related deaths by swift and accessible medical treatment, as well as by accelerating the rollout of booster dose vaccines, particularly to the elderly. During a press briefing today, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha Covid-19 said Covid-19 is still a…
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Thailand’s State of Emergency extended, Covid-19 is still a pandemic – PM Prayut
Two years into the pandemic, Thailand’s State of Emergency is still in effect and has been extended for another two months, giving the government sweeping powers to tackle the outbreak through its establishment of a Covid-19 task force. The decree was extended from April 1 to May 31. In a press conference today, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said Covid-19 is still…
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Thailand to donate 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Myanmar
Thailand plans to donate 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to Myanmar. The first order of 500,000 doses arrived in the neighbouring country on March 12. The delivery date for the next order has yet been announced. Myanmar is the first country Thailand has donated locally-made Covid-19 vaccines to. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Thanee Saengrat, shared…
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Thai-Myanmar bridge bombed, impacting trade between the countries
After an anti-government in Myanmar bombed a bridge between Thailand’s Mae Sot and Myawaddy on March 11, trade between the two countries has been impacted. The event has resulted in a decrease in the number of Thai transport trucks passing via the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Tak, northern Thailand. Earlier this week, a temporary bridge was built to assist…
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PM Prayut and Ministry of Energy’s guide to saving fuel and energy this summer
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is inviting those in Thailand to join forces and save energy to combat the global energy crisis together. He suggests setting your air conditioner at 27 degrees Celsius and using a fan in tandem to save energy. Prayut and the Ministry of Energy have some tips on how to keep your fuel costs and energy bills from…
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Australia plans to sue Facebook owner over scam ads for cryptocurrency
Australian officials are suing Facebook’s owner, Meta Platforms, over scam ads for cryptocurrency schemes. The ads feature well-known Australians, including a politician and a businessman, who they claim endorse the schemes. In reality, the figures never endorsed the schemes, or approved the ads. Australia’s consumer protection commission said the ads also contained links to fake articles with quotes claiming to…
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Bodies of 3 teenagers found in Kanchanaburi’s Kwai Noi river
Authorities have found the bodies of the three siblings who went missing in the Kwai Noi River in Kanchanaburi on Wednesday. The body of 15 year old Naen and the body of 18 year old Champa were found in the river early this morning while the body of 18 year old Champi was found this afternoon. Yee, a family friend…
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Thailand’s Miss Tiffany transgender pageant finalist denied entry into Dubai due to gender
A first-runner up for Thailand’s Miss Tiffany beauty pageant for transgender women was denied entry to Dubai when immigration at the airport questioned her about her gender. Her passport says she is male. Apparently, she had to wait hours at the airport and talk to various authorities about her gender and surgery. Rachaya “Mick” Noppakaroon was the 2014 Miss Tiffany’s…
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Swedish woman who hid child in Thailand sentenced to prison
A Swedish woman who was arrested by Thai police in January has been sentenced to one year and three months in prison in Sweden for hiding her child in Thailand for over a year. The woman lost her custody battle with the child’s father but disappeared with the child in December 2019 before the court’s decision was enforced. The woman…
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Mask up! PM Prayut says Thailand’s mask mandate is still in effect
Mask up! Although Thailand is on track to declare Covid-19 as endemic in the next few months, for the time being, the nationwide mask mandate is still in effect. In a press briefing today, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said the mask mandate is not being lifted and there has been no meeting on the subject yet. There have been reports on…
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UKRAINE UPDATES: Russian offensive stalled, attacks civilians; Putin warns ‘traitors’; Turkey plays mediator
As Russia’s faltering military campaign enters its fourth week, here’s the latest headlines from the war in Ukraine… • More than a thousand people were sheltering in the bombed Mariupol theater. Civilians are said to be emerging alive from the ruins of the theatre, according to Ukrainian authorities. Between 1,000 and 1,200 people may have been inside, the city’s deputy…
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Tourism school helps stranded Russians and Ukrainians in Koh Samui
A tourism school is helping stranded Russians and Ukrainians in Koh Samui stay in a hotel for about 4,000 baht a month. This is for up to 30 rooms at a hotel on Chaweng beach. Many Ukrainians can’t return home due to the violence from Russia’s invasion, while many Russians’ flights home have been canceled. Many Russians also can’t access…
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Friday Covid Update: 27,071 new cases; provincial totals
80 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 24,075 with 2,377 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 27,071 new Covid-19 cases and 21,522 recoveries. There are now 230,603 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
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Thailand’s electricity tariff expected to surge higher than ever
After Thailand’s Energy Regulation Commission announced yesterday that the electricity price could rise to four baht per kilowatt hour, the ERC now says it will rise to a record high above that. The ERC says this will be the first time the price has surged this high. The fuel tariff is expected to be 0.24 baht per unit between May…
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Phuket man posts photos of teen girls in underwear on Facebook
A man in Phuket posted photos of teenage girls in underwear on an unnamed “popular Phuket Facebook page”. The girls allegedly ranged from early to mid teens. One girl wore shorts and a training bra, and another wore a bra and unbuttoned jeans. Online viewers accused the man of “deceiving” the girls into taking off their clothes, according to The…
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Man arrested for allegedly blackmailing student who later committed suicide
A 26 year old was arrested for allegedly blackmailing high school students which is believed to have led to the student’s suicide. The man allegedly made a fake account online, identifying himself as a teenage girl and luring students into sending sexually explicit videos, then demanding money, threatening to release the videos. Police say they believe the man was targeting…
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As residents run out of patience, Hong Kong considers easing Covid restrictions
The Hong Kong government is considering rolling back some Covid restrictions, aware that public tolerance is fading. Chief Executive Carrie Lam says that even though the infection rate is not yet declining, some restrictions could be eased, recognising that the public has had enough. “Not because the number of cases has come down, but I have a very strong feeling…
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Pattaya security guards allegedly attack foreign tourist following bill dispute
Security guards at a nightlife complex in central Pattaya are accused of attacking a foreign tourist in a dispute over a bill. The Pattaya News reports that the incident took place around 11.30pm last night at the Tree Town complex, with a 58-year-old man, reportedly Irish, injured in the brawl. For their part, the guards claim the tourist refused to…
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Alcohol lobby groups call for 2pm – 5pm booze sales ban to be lifted
As Thai laws go, it’s one of the more confusing ones, as evidenced by the sight of frowning tourists scratching their heads as they stand in front of a 7 Eleven fridge at the wrong time of day. In Thailand, alcoholic drinks can be sold from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to midnight. If you fancy a couple of…
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