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.
-
Sponsored Can health insurance help speed up your Thai visa process?
The Thaiger key takeaways Having the right health insurance keeps your visa process moving without unnecessary hold-ups. Showing proof of coverage early can make approvals and renewals faster. Keeping your insurance active avoids surprises and ensures smooth compliance. Applying for...
-
Pegasus spyware found on phones of activists in Thailand
A new report has revealed that dozens of Thai democracy activists were targeted by an Israeli spyware programme called Pegasus during the height of intense anti-government protests over the past two years. The joint report, by the Thai NGO iLaw, Digital Reach, and The Citizen Lab, claims that the phones of 30 activists, academics, lawyers, and NGO workers, mostly connected to civil…
-
Filipinos go on book-buying spree to “preserve history” of Marcos family atrocities
Some Filipinos are in a rush to buy books documenting the divisive and savage 21 year reign of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos as his son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr, assumes office as the latest president of the Philippines after a landslide election victory in May. They say they fear that the new Filipino president may try and whitewash the…
-
‘Oh, bother!’ Thai govt patrol team stumble upon 20 million baht Winnie the Pooh ecstasy haul
Drug smugglers would be right in thinking “Oh, bother!” after a narcotics enforcement team stumbled upon a 20 million baht drug haul of ecstasy tablets shaped as the fictional teddy bear Winnie the Pooh. It appears nothing is sacred anymore if drug dealers are disguising their narcotics as fictional cartoon characters. The drug haul prompts a dozen of Pooh memes,…
-
More lockdowns in China add to economic woes
China has now reported the highest number of coronavirus cases since May. Millions are now in lockdown, despite a relatively low number of actually reported infections. China reported 450 cases on Saturday, up from 432 a day earlier. Today there have only been 154 new infections reported. Epidemiologists outside of China predict that there is a broad under-reporting of infections…
-
Pending bill to name NYC neighbourhood ‘Little Thailand’
Thailand is continuing to make its mark far beyond the kingdom’s borders. New York City’s city council has approved a bill to name one neighbourhood ‘Little Thailand.’ The neighbourhood, located in the borough of Queens, is already called this name informally, as it has several Thai restaurants and businesses. The council member who sponsored the bill, Shekar Krishnan, said… “The…
-
Japan hits record high in Covid-19 cases
Japan’s number of Covid-19 infections climbed to a new record yesterday. While Japan’s previous peak was 104,169 cases in February, yesterday, there were 110,600 cases. In Tokyo, 18,919 new cases were confirmed. The city’s metropolitan government raised its Covid alert to the highest of four levels. Most cases are mild and don’t require hospital treatment. As the country moves on…
-
Thailand isn’t the only place in the world that applies tourist taxes
Thailand is about to add an arrival ‘tourist’ tax of 300 baht. But it’s not really a tourist tax because it will apply to ALL foreigners entering Thailand, including YOU. No exemptions, not even your work permit or diplomatic status will help. The proposal, set to come into force in Q4, 2022, will be in the form of a 300…
-
Thailand says no to North Korean martial art at SEA Games
Thailand is saying no to a North Korean martial art that will be included at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. Cambodia has said that North Korean-style taekwondo is one of the 39 sports that will be featured at the Games. The vice president of the Olympic Committee of Thailand has said that Thailand will not send any athletes…
-
Citizens party after Sri Lanka president resigns
Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has now officially resigned, following mass protests against him. The now former president fled the country to Maldives on Wednesday, and flew from there to Singapore yesterday, an unnamed security source told CNN. After Gotabaya arrived in Singapore, parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that Gotabaya had tendered his resignation. Mahinda said the country’s PM Ranil…
-
Honeymooning British man drowns in Phuket, Thailand
A British man on his honeymoon refused to acknowledge a red-flagged no swim zone on the island of Phuket in southern Thailand and it cost him his life. Ali Mohammed Mian drowned only two days into his honeymoon after being swept out to sea when he tried to take a dip in choppy waters at Kata Noi Beach. The 34…
-
UPDATE: Sri Lanka president reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia
UPDATE Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia, after he flies to Singapore. The Associated Press reported the development today, citing an unnamed Maldivian official. An unnamed security official in Colombo told CNN that Gotabaya was flying from Maldives to Singapore, as Sri Lanka’s rage has grown over his refusal to formally resign. Gotabaya is expected to reach…
-
Bangkok governor looks for Chinese cash to create smart city
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt yesterday revealed he had a working dinner with the Chinese Ambassador to discuss a number of projects beneficial to the capital, including the city’s upcoming outdoor film festival, Chinese teachers, and the development of a smart city. Developing Bangkok as a smart city comes hot on the heels of an announcement by the Eastern Economic Corridor…
-
Ex British squaddie commits suicide at Pattaya shooting range
A former British Army soldier yesterday committed suicide at Pattaya Shooting Park & Adventure in the Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. The man, reportedly named Ian Joseph, lowered his head, pointed the gun toward his right temple, and pulled the trigger of a 9-millimetre rented gun as staff stood nearby in shock. The 36 year old…
-
State of emergency declared in Sri Lanka as president flees country
A state of emergency was declared in Sri Lanka as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled for his life on a military jet amid mass protests over the nation’s economic crisis. The 73-year-old president left the country on a jet heading for Maldives with his wife and two security officers. He plans to travel to a third country, yet unnamed, the Sri…
-
Bhumjaithai didn’t push cannabis legalisation for recreational use
The Bhumjaithai Party who pushed for the decriminalisation of cannabis now says they are shocked to find people are using the drug recreationally. In a Facebook post yesterday MP Suphachai Jaismut said that his party had campaigned for the legalisation of marijuana strictly for medicinal purposes. The Bhumjaithai never intended the use of cannabis for anything more than improving the…
-
Travel between Thailand and Malaysia by train for just 50 baht (RM7)
After two years, the Shuttle Train which connects Thailand and Malaysia will resume services on Friday. The Shuttle Train connects Padang Besar in Malaysia to Hat Yai in southern Thailand. The journey takes around one hour and tickets cost just 50 baht or 7 Malaysian ringgits. The service was temporarily suspended as a Covid-19 prevention measure by the Malaysian government…
-
Covid-19 is far from over cautions the WHO
Despite the world seemingly getting back to normal, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from finished. New surges in coronavirus infections in Thailand and around the world are beginning to strain medical facilities and workers, but people are tired of safety measures and growing impatient, frustrating the head of the WHO. “The virus…
-
Objections to chemical castration law in Thailand
Objections have been raised to a controversial new law being pushed through by the Thai Senate that allows sex offenders the choice of having their prison sentences reduced if they agree to chemical castration. The Thai Senate approved the bill on Monday but the act hasn’t become law just yet. The legislation was first passed in the Lower House in March…
-
Philippines: Covid-19 infections spikes 39%, dengue jumps 90%
Newly-elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is facing a health crisis already as a dual spike in Covid-19 and dengue fever infections threaten the well-being of the Philippines. Covid infections are steadily rising now, but concurrently, the country has seen a 90% spike in dengue fever infections. The amount of new coronavirus infections has jumped 39% week over week with the…
-
Uber: leaked documents show unethical, possibly illegal tactics
Uber has long been known for their very aggressive growth into the ride-sharing market around the world but leaked private documents now show that many of its tactics were morally questionable and potentially illegal. The leak has been called The Uber Files and has been analyzed by dozens of news organizations to exubertract information from the 124,000 records that were…
-
Thailand retail giant target’s resilient Vietnam to expand business
Thailand retail giant Central Group is once again targeting Vietnam’s resilient economy and growing middle class to expand its brand in the southeast Asia nation. Central Group plans to invest 30 billion baht in Vietnam over the next four years to hike investment to 100 billion baht over the next five years from 38.5 billion baht last year. Olivier Langlet,…
-
Thai stuntman kidnapped in drug smuggling ring in Myanmar
The mother of a famous Thai stuntman coach has appealed to the police to bring her kidnapped son home from Myanmar after he got caught up in a drug smuggling ring. Thai stuntman trainer, Ramai “Dan” Moripunt, is locked up in a Burmese prison after being accused of drug trafficking with two Thai friends. The 40 year old travelled from…
-
India population expected to surpass China in 2023, world to hit 8 billion
For years, China has been the most populous country in the world, followed by India. But a report by the United Nations predicts that next year India will outpace China and become the country with the largest population in the world. With the slowing pace of mortality and high fertility rates in large portions of the world, the UN warns…
-
Burmese military expanding surveillance and facial recognition
In what they claim to be a bid to keep cities safe and secure and preserve civil peace, the military junta controlling Myanmar is installing facial recognition cameras made in China in cities all across the turbulent country. This surveillance began after the military coup in February 2021, and at least 5 cities are already under their watchful eye. This…
-
Dozens of call centre scammers caught in Thai-Cambodia net
Dozens of Thai scammers have been arrested and illegal call centres shut down after a sophisticated months’ long Thai-Cambodian law enforcement operation closed the net on their fraudulent activity. According to different reports, numbers between 15 to 89 Thai scammers took part in a number of illegal activities in Cambodia to extort money by false means in everything from romance…
-
BA.2.75 Omicron sub-variant causing “concern” for authorities in SE Asia
The UN and the World Health Organisation is actively following a new sub-lineage designated BA.2.75, another variant of the Omicron derivative of Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2 ). It was first detected in India and has since been found in 10 other countries. The Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Ghebreyesus, noted that new Covid-19 infections, globally, have increased nearly 30% over…
-
Thailand happy to be pawn in US, China economic war
Thailand still appears to be a pawn in the ongoing economic war between the US and China – or is it? US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Don Pramudwinai, on Sunday, as part of his Southeast Asia tour. The Thai PM welcomed the US diplomat and stated his happiness in…
-
Mobile phone growth to increase 400% in next 3 years across Asia Pacific
Over the next three years, the expansion of 5G connectivity in the Asia Pacific region is expected to increase by 400%. GSM Association, a conglomerate of telecom operators worldwide, says the ‘metaverse’ and greater uptake in the latest generation of smartphones is fuelling the growth. The GSM Association is an industry organisation that represents the interests of mobile network operators…
-
Sri Lanka PM offers to resign amidst enraged protests
Sri Lanka’s PM offered to resign yesterday, even though he only took office in May, 2 months ago. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s offer to resign comes after protestors set his home on fire yesterday. Neither the PM nor the president were inside the house when the protestors set the fire. Meanwhile, over 100,000 enraged protestors also stormed the presidential palace yesterday.…
-
Elon Musk goes cold on Twitter buy-out
After announcing in April that he planned to buy Twitter, the richest person on earth has once again sent the world reeling. Elon Musk has now announced that he is ditching his plan to buy Twitter. Musk alleged that the change in plan is due to Twitter making several breaches of the agreement. Musk said Twitter did not provide enough…
Broke? Find employment in Southeast Asia with JobCute Thailand and SmartJob Indonesia. Rich? Invest in real estate across Asia with FazWaz Property Group or get out on a yacht anywhere with Boatcrowd. Even book medical procedures worldwide with MyMediTravel, all powered by DB Ventures.