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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PM Prayut urges a new Thailand focused on tourism, sustainability
As the reopening of Thailand cranks the doors open wide to international travellers after cracking it open with Sandbox schemes over the past 4 months, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is focusing on tourism in reimagining Thailand moving forward. PM Prayut has called for all sectors of the nation to come together to transform the country in the “new normal” with tourism…
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Six gunmen attack police vehicle in Deep South, two officers injured
Six gunmen reportedly fired shots at a police pickup truck in the Deep South province Narathiwat, injuring two officers before pouring petrol on the vehicle and setting it on fire. The region near the Malaysian border is prone to violence related to the religious separatist insurgency. The officers were driving from the Si Sakhon district police station to Narathiwat Court…
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Airbnb reports surge in Thailand accommodation searches since re-opening
The accommodation website Airbnb has reported a spike in searches for properties in Thailand, following the country’s re-opening to vaccinated tourists from select countries. Searches for Thai accommodation over the next 6 months are double those of a year ago, with searches for villas being the most popular. The Bangkok Post reports that in terms of location, Phuket, Bangkok, Koh…
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Department of Health begs for responsible drinking in restaurants
The Department of Health is warning people that the permission granted to serve alcohol in restaurants in key tourist destinations must be used responsibly without people overdoing the boozing. They are asking restaurants not to serve drinks after the allowed hours and asking patrons to not overdo their drinking. Now that the government has dedicated Blue Zones for the primary…
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More cuts at Thai Airways as flagship carrier continues rehab process
The chairman of the Thai Airways rehabilitation plan says the airline is making good progress with cost-cutting exercises. Piyasvasti Amranand says Thailand’s national carrier has managed to recover 44.8 billion baht by cutting its workforce and ending aircraft lease agreements. “Thai Airways’ operational performance has progressed satisfactorily in many aspects, including cost reduction and organisational restructuring.” According to a TTR…
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Chinese travellers forced to stay home as rest of Asia re-opens to tourism
With Asian countries re-opening to foreign arrivals, there will be one significant tourism market missing for now – the Chinese. In China, according to a Reuters report, international air travel is currently at just 2% of pre-pandemic levels, as officials continue to pursue zero-Covid status. The absence of Chinese visitors will mean a US$255 billion annual spending hole in the…
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New York’s mayor-elect Adams: The working-class candidate who embraces big businesses
New Yorkers on Tuesday elected Eric Adams as their next mayor in a landslide election in which the Democrat trounced Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa. Adams, a 61-year-old former police captain, will be the city’s 110th mayor and only the second Black man to lead the largest city in the United States — the first being Democrat David Dinkins, who was…
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Kenya’s first female wildlife rangers unit
Team Lioness is Kenya’s first all female unit of community wildlife rangers. Created in 2019, the team is stationed near the traditional community land around Amboseli National Park on the border of Tanzania and Kenya. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) team of 16 female rangers. The unit patrols the community lands of the Olgulului-Ololarashi Group Ranch (OOGR). Through…
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South Korea, US at odds over deal to end Korean War
The governments of South Korea and the United States have publically reiterated that they are making progress in discussions on an agreement that all sides in the 1950-53 Korean War can agree to and finally formally end the conflict. Analysts suggest, however, that the show of unity is forced and designed to give the impression that the alliance remains resilient.…
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Bitkub company and crypto-coin value surges as SCB buys 51% of shares
Cryptocurrencies just got a big boost in Thailand as Siam Commercial Bank Group’s parent company SCBX struck a deal to take over 51% of shares of Bitkub from its parent company Bitkub Capital Group Holdings, a deal valued at 17.85 billion baht. SCB Securities will hold the shares and collaborate with Bitkub to create a national infrastructure with a digital…
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US approves Pfizer vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old
US health officials have announced that children 5-11 years old can now receive the Pfizer BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine. This approval came yesterday after both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centre for Disease Control gave their authorisation. This approval qualifies around 28 million American children to now receive the Covid vaccine. President Joe Biden expressed his approval in a…
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Thailand ranks ninth on Global Climate Risk Index for “extreme weather events”
When it rains, it pours in Thailand… and torrential downpours during the country’s monsoon season is known to cause severe flooding, damaging property and leading to injuries, sometimes deaths. The weather in Thailand is considered so intense that the country is ranked ninth on the Global Climate Risk Index 2021 on nations most affected by “extreme weather events” between 2010…
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Thailand’s reopening expect to boost Phuket’s tourism industry
The reopening of Thailand on Monday is expected to boost Phuket’s hard-hit tourism industry. Yesterday, the President of the Phuket Tourism Association said that the island is expected to receive up to 10,000 visitors a day in December, and as many as 1 million arrivals in the first quarter of 2022. This comes after the recent Airports of Thailand announcement…
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Central plans 500 million baht reboot for New Years festival season
After months of restrictions for shopping centres, with promotional events banned in areas with high Covid-19 infection rates, 35 Central shopping centres across Thailand are preparing for the holiday shopping season with a multimillion baht market campaign to boost sales. Central Pattana Plc is set to spend as much as 500 million baht this New Years festival season in an…
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AstraZeneca finally delivers over 10 million vaccines in a month
AstraZeneca has had a turbulent relationship with Thailand and the Thai government after expectations of 10 million vaccines a month fell well short followed by a lot of finger-pointing and threats. But in October, AstraZeneca delivered 10.5 million vaccines, the first time it met the quota of what was expected or promised, depending on who you believe. When the deal…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 7,679 new cases; provincial totals
56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 19,394 with 19,300 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,679 new Covid-19 cases and 8,482 recoveries. There are now 97,585 people in Thailand being…
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Ethiopia: The Tigray crisis one year on
Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis in pictures SOURCE: DW News
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Man believed drunk fell 7 floors down garbage chute to death
A Thai man was found dead after police believe he was very drunk and attempting to vomit down a garbage chute on the 7th floor of a Chon Buri apartment complex and fell into it to his death. The accident took place this week in Mueang Chon Buri Nong Maidang district and the Don Hualor Police received notification of the…
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Government red tape loses Thammasat University free vaccines
After Thammasat University struck several deals to import millions of vaccines to Thailand, they hit a snag with government bureaucracy blocking the donation of 3 million Moderna vaccines from Poland. After struggling to get the necessary paperwork approving the vaccine donation from the government, the university had to give up and Thailand will lose the donated vaccines, the first 1.5…
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New road and construction planned to improve U-Tapao Airport
Plans are underway to ease traffic to U-Tapao Airport in Rayong, the primary airport to Pattaya, by linking it to a nearby street by constructing a 2-kilometre road. The Department of Highways announced the plan yesterday, saying the project will cost 4.5 billion baht and will break ground next year with a completion date set for 3 years from now.…
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Bang Sue Station offers teenagers vaccination this week
Walk-in vaccination is available for teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18 to receive a Pfizer vaccine at the Central Vaccination Centre at Bang Sue Grand Station. The program opened yesterday and will operate until November 10, administering first vaccines to any teenagers from 12 to 18 years old. There are few restrictions on the vaccine drive, welcoming Thai…
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Studying in Phuket As Foreigner – Education Visa
The Thaiger offers the following deal on Education Visas… Every year, millions of tourists flock to Phuket for the weather, beaches, culture, food, and shopping. Many of them are long-term guests who have come to spend their vacations here. This country has so many facets that it would be hard to see everything in one or two three-week vacations. Many…
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Easing of alcohol restrictions hinges on Covid-19 infection and hospitalisation rate
The National Security Council says any easing of alcohol restrictions will depend on the Covid-19 situation. NSC boss Supoj Malaniyom adds that the 17 provinces open to tourists are likely to be the first to see nightlife permitted to return. According to a Bangkok Post report, the sale of alcohol in restaurants could also be extended, provided the Covid-19 situation…
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Airports of Thailand expects 726,000 passengers in November, mostly domestic
The president of Airports of Thailand says the country’s airports can expect around 726,000 passengers this month, following Thailand’s re-opening. However, Nitinai Sirismatthakarn says most of those will be domestic travellers, with around 270,529 expected from overseas. The Bangkok Post reports that 31 flights, carrying around 2,600 passengers, landed at Suvarnabhumi yesterday. Around 1,500 were international arrivals. Meanwhile, Anucha Nakasai…
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Wednesday Covid Update: 7,679 new cases and 56 deaths
7,679 new Covid-19 cases and 56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the CCSA. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 8,482 recoveries. There are now 97,585 people in Thailand currently being treated for Covid-19. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, the CCSA has recorded…
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Facebook facial recognition system being ditched amid growing privacy concerns
Facebook is getting rid of its facial recognition system, which currently identifies and suggests tagging of individuals in photos and videos. The company’s vice-president of artificial intelligence, Jerome Pesenti, says the technology is being ditched due to uncertainty over its use. “Regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use. Amid this ongoing…
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Disgraced cop Thitisan and 6 other officers charged in death-in-custody case
Disgraced police chief Thitisan Utthanaphon and 6 other officers have been charged in an investigation into the death of a man in custody. The victim, 24 year old Chiraphong Thanapat, died while under interrogation at a police station in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan in August. Video footage that showed Thitisan placing several plastic bags over the drug suspect’s…
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PM says Thailand will step up fight against climate change
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has vowed to step up Thailand’s focus on tackling climate change. He made this announcement yesterday in Glasgow at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties, also known as the COP26. This convention is a forum in which world leaders can meet and make plans to address relevant climate issues. Prayut…
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How Germany’s new government could impact young Africans
It’s young, developing and brimming with potential. Yet, the African continent doesn’t seem to feature prominently on Germany’s foreign policy agenda. Just over a month after Germany’s much-anticipated federal election, coalition talks are still ongoing. Headline-grabbing issues like climate change and migration are on the agenda: But many young Africans are also keenly waiting for the outcome, with the new…
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Vaccinations accelerated for inmates following Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons
More than 74,000 inmates at Thailand’s overcrowded prisons and detention centres have tested positive for Covid-19 over the past several months, which is about a fourth of the total number of prisoners in the country. Correctional facilities stopped allowing visits earlier this year and vaccinations have been accelerated. According to Nation Thailand, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said prisons will start…
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