World News
World news, global politics, business, technology, and culture—stay updated with breaking stories, international trends, and major events. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for global news.
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Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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What are US midterm elections?
US midterm elections are elections held during the middle of a president’s four-year term in office (so two years into their term). These elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, which means today. During midterms, all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for election. This year, 35 out of the 100…
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“India’s first voter” has died
A retired teacher labeled “India’s first voter” died on Saturday morning. The man, Shyam Saran Negi, passed away at 106 years old. Shyam is believed to have been the first person to cast a ballot after India gained independence from the British, and held its first election in 1951. Ever since then, he has voted in every one of India’s…
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Thai woman arrested for smuggling drugs into Japan inside her body
Japanese border police arrested a Thai woman for smuggling drugs into Japan by concealing them inside her body, reported the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thani Saengrat this morning. The ministry received a report from the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo about the body packing case yesterday, said Thani. The 41 year old Thai national – Wiwiew…
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VIDEO: 19 killed in Tanzania plane crash
Nineteen people were killed in a plane crash in Tanzania yesterday, major news outlets reported. The plane was headed to the town of Bukoba from Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam when it crashed into Lake Victoria. Rescuers rushed to the scene and coordinated with nearby boat operators. Video footage shows the plane almost completely submerged in the water, with only…
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Armed and Distressed Cambodian soldier crosses Thai border
An armed and distressed Cambodian soldier drove through a checkpoint and crossed the border into Thailand’s eastern province of Sa Kaeo on Saturday night. The soldier, Colonel Sok Banpol, drove his car to an intersection and parked there. The Cambodian soldier remained in his car until Sunday morning. Sok’s relatives arrived on the scene to try to convince him to…
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Asia at the FIFA World Cup, Part 1 – Bad times
With the FIFA World Cup less than two weeks away and no Thai team to cheer for, The Thaiger takes time to reflect on the good and bad times of Asia’s teams at the world’s premier sporting event. Thai people are crazy about football, but their national team is… not very good. But while Thailand has nothing to be proud of, there…
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K-pop band NCT 127 end Jakarta concert on crush fears
K-pop sensation NCT 127 ended their first concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, early on Friday when 30 fans fainted in a crush. The world is still reeling from the fatal events in South Korea last week, while Indonesia still grieves for more than 130 people, including more than 40 children, who died in a stadium crush last month. The concert near…
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Malaysian celeb Diva AA drops out of election on dead mother’s advice
And you thought Thai politics and elections were crazy! A celebrity candidate, Diva AA, running for Malaysian parliament has pulled out of the race against his brother because his mother told him to. His dead mother. Malaysia is holding its 15th general election this year, commonly referred to as GE15. Voting will take place on November 15 across the country. A…
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Too bad to be true – the 2 baht meth pill
Meth pills that cost 300 baht each just a few years ago, are now available on the street for as little as 2 baht each, according to police and the Bangkok Post, but are we obliged to believe them? Why would we start now? The revelation comes in an article in Bangkok Post which begins by talking about the speed…
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Thai carer who beat her lover to death denied parole in UK
A Thai woman in the UK who beat her elderly lover to death with a hammer has been denied parole and permission to move to an open prison. Bunthawee Rimmer, who was 49, at the time of the killing, was jailed for a minimum of 11 years in July 2012 for the murder her lover Paul Norfolk, 77 years old.…
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Twitter employees lay off begins after Musk takeover
Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover has been swift and rattling after months of trying to back out of the deal. It is rumoured that Musk plans to lay off 75% of Twitter’s 7,500 employees. And the axe started swinging on Friday. Stay-home orders were given to thousands of employees at Twitter which may signal they’re being laid off. Some new sources…
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Myanmar kleptocracy boosts rhino horn trafficking
Rhino horn trafficking remains a severe problem that needs to be addressed with a new sense of urgency. During 2012-2021, more than 7.5 tons of rhino horn was seized in 674 incidents Asian rhino horns are less frequently seized than African, but there have been several recent reports of Indian rhino horns being seized at border points in Myanmar and…
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Thailand vs. Vietnam travel guide
Thinking of going to Thailand or Vietnam and wondering about some of the differences between the two? Here, we have a short guide on the major differences between two of Southeast Asia’s most popular destinations. From different cuisines to top attractions, both countries offer amazing experiences for even the most well-travelled visitors. 1. History and culture Vietnam has a French…
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Yellow peril – Mascot man fears family will waste lottery winnings
A man from Guangxi, one of China’s poorest provinces, recently dressed as a bright yellow mascot to collect his US$30.6 million lottery winnings so he could keep his identity a secret from the public – and his family. The man, identified only by nom de guerre Mr Li, won 219.4 million yuan (US$30.3 million, 1.1 billion baht) on the Guangxi Welfare…
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FBI tells synagogues in New Jersey to keep safe after credible threat
The FBI is warning synagogues in the US state of New Jersey to keep safe after it says it has obtained credible threats online. The threats were apparently broad in scope, but the FBI has urged all synagogues to “take all security precautions to protect your community and facility.” According to NPR.org, the online threat did not target any specific…
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81-year-old Japanese man arrested for murder after pushing wife’s wheelchair into sea
Police arrested an 81-year-old Japanese man after he allegedly pushed his wheelchair-bound wife into the sea. The man, Hiroshi Fujiwara, was arrested in the Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan with police saying he then admitted to killing his 79-year-old wife. Fujiwara said he was worn out from looking after her as she had been in a wheelchair for the past…
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Starbucks makes its Laos debut with unique local touches
Starbucks today made its debut in Laos, the nation’s first store. The coffee shop opened in the Lao capital of Vientiane at Parkson Mall, an office and shopping development in the heart of the city. The new Starbucks hopes to contribute to Laos’ thriving coffee culture. The store’s architecture is uniquely Laotian, there is a handcrafted, textured door handle. The…
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Shelter warnings in Japan after North Korea conducts presumed failed IBCM test
UPDATE Tensions are continuing in the latest episode between North Korea and South Korea. North Korea today conducted what was believed to be a failed launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). A South Korean government source said the presumed Hwasong-17 ICBM successfully separated at the second stage, but is believed to have failed after that, and fell into the…
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US Federal Reserve hikes up interest rates again
The United States Federal Reserve approved yet another aggressive interest rate hike yesterday in their quest to combat persistent inflation which is at a 40-year high in America. It is the fourth consecutive 0.75% interest rate hike approved this year. The central bank has raised the policy rate from near zero in March to what is now between 3.75-4%. It…
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Professor tells US to sit and talk to China instead of warmongering
World-renowned United States Professor Jeffrey Sachs appealed to the presidents of China and the US to get around a table and talk before the globe is dragged into yet another war. The 67 year economist and best-selling author called on US President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping to sit down and discuss their future social, economic, and political plans…
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Intruder who attacked US House Speaker’s husband says it was a suicide misison
The intruder who broke into US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home and severely injured her husband, says it was a suicide mission. David DePape hit Paul Pelosi in the head with a hammer, leaving him unconscious in a pool of blood leaving him to be hospitalised with a skull fracture. DePape was captured and arrested, telling police that he was…
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Halloween crowd surge casualties prompt raid on Seoul’s police headquarters
After a deadly crowd surge at a Seoul Halloween event left at least 156 people dead, special investigators are raiding the city’s police headquarters. Records released of emergency calls warning that the crowds of Halloween party-goers were becoming too big, prompted the investigation as authorities say police had four hours of advanced warning. Eight locations were searched including the Seoul Metropolitan…
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Smart patrols boost population of Thailand’s tigers
Thailand stands alone in Southeast Asia by boosting its wild tiger population. Tigers have lost some 95% of their historical range and there are now only about 4,000 or so left in the wild. Sadly, only two countries – India and Thailand – are working to protect the populations of wild tigers in government reserves. Thailand is now home to…
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North Korean missile lands near South’s waters for first time, South retaliates
A missile from North Korea today landed close to South Korean waters for the first time since the countries split in 1945, according to South Korean officials. Since then, South Korea retaliated by launching missiles in return. This latest tit-for-tat conflict began after North Korea fired at least 10 missiles to the east and west of the Korean Peninsula. The…
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Banged up abroad – Sweden’s escaped cobra slips home
A king cobra that escaped from his new home in a Swedish aquarium turned up back in his terrarium about a week after he made his daring midnight escape. Skansen Aquarium in Stockholm said in a Facebook post that the cobra, named Sir Vas, or Sir Hiss (before being clumsily rebranded “Houdini”) had returned of his own free will. The deadly…
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Foreign students accuse Canadian government of exploiting them for cheap labour
Studying in Canada is one thing, but doing labour for low pay is another. Some foreign students in Canada, in fact, are accusing the Canadian government of using them for cheap labour and getting rid of them afterwards. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government allowed about 50,000 foreign exchange students into the country last year as a way to “help more…
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Tokyo becomes latest city in Japan to recognise same-sex partnerships
Tokyo, Japan has become the latest city to recognise same-sex partnership rights in terms of housing, child-rearing, and healthcare. But, same-sex marriage is still prohibited nationwide, leaving out other legal protections that are currently only afforded to heterosexual married couples. The Tokyo Partnership Oath System was enacted on Tuesday, with many LGBTQ community members praising the legislation as a step…
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Call centre trafficked forced labour to sell crypto via Tinder
When was the last time you got a legitimately good investment tip from Tinder? Never? Scammers continue to use dating apps to con people into fake crypto investments. On Monday, Thai police announced the arrest of a Chinese leader of a multi-country gang who trafficked people to work in call centres selling crypto scams. The phoney call centre was uncovered…
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No masks or PCR needed for World Cup in Qatar says organisers
Good news for football fans traveling to Qatar for the World Cup in just over two weeks’ time – you no longer need a negative PCR or rapid antigen test to enter the Arab country. The Qatar Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) published a statement announcing the relaxation of Covid-19 related measures which take effect from today. “Visitors are no…
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