Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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Sponsored How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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Here we go – Royal decree issued for Thai general election
The final hurdle to holding an election this year was cleared this morning by royal decree that sets in motion the countdown to the long-awaited poll. The royal decree, ordering a general election of members of Parliament was issued this morning. The constitutional process calls for the Election Commission to announce a date for the long-awaited election within five days…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 23
Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Weather for January 23
Bangkok Abundant sunshine. High 33C. Winds NE at 15 to 25 km/h. Phuket Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 30C. Winds E at 15 to 25 km/h. Chiang Mai Plenty of sunshine. High 31C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Sunshine and a few clouds. High 32C. ENE winds shifting to WNW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Sunny. High…
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Wild elephants drag elderly man from pineapple hut and trample him to death
FILE PHOTO A man’s body has been found crushed to death outside his pineapple storage hut near Khao Ang Ruenai Wildlife sanctuary, in central Thailand. Wild elephants – notorious for coming down the mountain to the village in search of food – are suspected of having dragged the man from his hut and stamping him to death to get access to his…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 22
Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Incentive travel the fastest growing segment in Asia Pacific events business
PHOTOS: ttrweekly.com Responding to a study that says incentive travel is the fastest growing segment in Asia-Pacific’s events business, the Thailand Conventions & Exhibitions Bureau is adapting its game plan to tap into this lucrative market. Last week, TCEB hosted the premier event, SITE’s 2019 Global Conference in Bangkok, a worldwide association dedicated exclusively to growing incentive travel. SITE’s most…
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Why Thailand’s election will be a win for the military – International coverage
“When Thailand officials hinted that scheduled elections to end military rule would be postponed for the fifth time in almost as many years, anger and frustration rippled through the country.” The story of Thailand’s election stumbles and rumbles is making headlines around the world, especially since the February 24 election date, mooted as THE date for most of 2018, has…
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Woman badly injured in Rayong car accident
PHOTOS: สื่อสาร 01 / Siam Rayong Rescue Foundation Rescue workers took two hours to free a woman from a car following a road incident in Rayong south east of Bangkok. The Siam Rayong Rescue Foundation has reported that they were notified of the incident in Rayong city at 7am this morning. Rescue workers arrived to find a car overturned after…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 21
Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Central Thailand Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Weather for January 21
Bangkok Partly cloudy. High 33C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to cloudy skies and rain during the afternoon. High 32C. Winds N at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 70%. Chiang Mai Sunny. High 32C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Sun and clouds mixed. High 32C. Winds NNW…
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Marine endangered species injured or killed from sea garbage every 68 hours
PHOTO: Thai Whales Over the past year, 129 marine endangered species in Thailand have been injured or killed from sea garbage, which means every 68 hours one of them has been tortured or died from ingesting our rubbish. Marine specialist Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat says that, based on data from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources over the past year,…
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China edges Thailand out of Asian Cup after penalties
Thailand has gone down to China 2-1 in last night’s Asian Cup Round-of-16 match, eliminating them from the tournament. The match was decided by a penalty awarded after a foul charged against Thailand in the 72nd minute. China’s forward Gao Lin slotted home his shot to finish Thailand’s chances. The slow start to last night’s game gave way to more…
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Thailand’s War Elephants aiming for an upset over China – Asian Cup
PHOTO: Chanathip Songkrasin (First from the left) getting ready for tonight’s game with his fellow teammates Make sure dinner is wrapped up and the kids are in bed by 9pm because it’s Asian Cup round-of-sixteen time with China lining up against Thailand. J-League star Chanathip Songkrasin says he’s determined to spearhead Thailand to an upset over the powerful China team…
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Thailand pledges to soften harsh refugee policies
PHOTO: Toronto Star Thailand’s immigration chief is pledging an upgrade of the country’s draconian treatment of refugees following the intense international media coverage of the young Saudi woman’s attempt to seek asylum. Rahaf Mohammed became the biggest international story across the world for a week after being intercepted during a transit stopover in Bangkok, on her way to Australia, and…
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Australian woman deported for overstaying visa by over 100 days
PHOTOS: Facebook/Claire Johnson An Australian woman, who was caught overstaying her visa by 111 days, will be released from detention and deported by Thai authorities tonight. She came to the media’s attention on Monday after sending urgent messages to a friend saying that she was being taken to a detention centre and that “they are taking my phone”. 46 year…
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VIDEO: Thai netizens outraged as school makes student cut hair
A student at a school in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, has uploaded a video to social media sparking a meltdown on Thai social media. In the video, the student films a school teacher measuring her friend’s hair, while another teacher cuts it to follow the rules which state students cannot grown hair more than 9 inches from the top of the ears.…
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Pick a date, any date – Thai election
February 24, then March 10, then ‘sometime before May 7’, now March 24. The only thing we can be reasonably sure about is that it will be on a Sunday (Thai elections are always held on Sundays). Yesterday, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam hinted that the election could now be held on March 24. He painted March 24 as the “most…
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New Thai E-Driving licences are 95% complete
Thailand law makers are looking to amend the 1979 Land Transport act to bring together databases from the Road Transport and policing departments as registrations and enforcement combine to make a digital traffic violation ticketing system. The National Legislative Assembly held a reading of the new bill yesterday (Thursday), which requires the Royal Thai Police and the Land Transport Department…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 18
Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Central Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Southern Thailand Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution…
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Weather for January 18
Bangkok Mostly cloudy. High 30ºC. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Partly cloudy, with a possible thunderstorm. High 32ºC. Winds E at 15 to 30 km/h. Chance of rain 30%. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 29ºC. Winds SSE and variable. Pattaya Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. High 31ºC. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Ko Samui…
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Exemption of visa on arrival fees to boost Chinese New Year
The exemption of fees for visa on arrival is expected is expected to boost Chinese arrivals during the Chinese New Year festival. The National News Bureau of Thailand is reporting that visitors from 21 countries are getting their visa on arrival fee waived until April 30, 2019. Those 21 countries are Andora, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Kazakhstan,…
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Up to 10K baht paid to Thai women for marriage license
PHOTO: Immigration Bureau Indian men have been paying up to 10,000 Baht to Thai women for a marriage license. Thairath is reporting that Immigration chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn says, “Many Thai women have been paid to get married with Indian men without any intention of a physical relationship.” “Indian men are using the marriage license as a means to apply…
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Burmese man shot after allegedly attacking policeman with knife
A Burmese man has been shot and injured after allegedly attacking a policeman with a knife yesterday afternoon. Police claim 45 year old Saw Luimia attacked a policeman at a road checkpoint in Tambon Mae Ngow of Mae Hong Son’s Khun Yuam district at about 2.20pm. Mae Hong Son is in the far north west of Thailand on the Myanmar border.…
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Foreign teacher to be deported after his arrest over rape in Pathum Thani
PHOTOS: Immigration Bureau / Lamlukka Police Station The male Pakistani teacher, who was charged with rape this week in Pathum Thani, is to be deported. The Immigration Bureau Office reports that Immigration chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn headed to Lamlukka Police Station in Pathum Thani where the Pakistani man, a teacher and psychologist, had been arrested. Read more about the case HERE.…
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Weather for January 17
Bangkok Generally clear. High 33ºC. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 km/h. Phuket Thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 31ºC. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 100%. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 30ºC. Winds SE and variable. Pattaya City Partly cloudy. High 32ºC. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 km/h. Ko Samui Thunderstorms. High 24ºC. Winds…
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Election 2019: Put it in your calendar – March 10
PHOTO: Protesters in Bangkok demanding the Thai Government announce election dates Bets are on for a March 10 election date as the Prime Minister has, for the first time, admitted that the election can no longer be held on February 24. But nothing official has yet been announced. Under the constitution, the general election must be completed within 150 days…
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PM Prayut kicks the election can down the road
PHOTO: The Nation February 24? No. March? April? Maybe May? PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has reaffirmed today that election will definitely be held by May 9 but gave no indication when exactly it will take place. It’s the first time he’s ever uttered an actual date. He says that under the new Thai Constitution, May 9 is the final date election…
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The internet booms and print languishes in 2019 advertising spend
Thailand’s Digital advertising market spend is poised to reach 124 billion baht in 2019. That’s a growth of nearly 5%. But newspapers, magazines, Cable TV and radio are on the nose as marketers stick with terrestrial TV and ramp up their digital portfolios. “Digital media is expected to grow 20% and is will nearly equal the value of TV advertising…
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Thai ‘hijacking’ elephants get GPS collar trackers
PHOTO: WWF A new project has been launched in the restricted forest areas of eastern Thailand where wildlife officials are putting tracking collars on elephants to help mitigate potential conflict with farmers and local villagers. The first three collars were placed on three elephants in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary. The collars were imported from South Africa with aid…
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Man arrested after killing five family members in Uttaradit
PHOTO: Khaosod A man who shot his pregnant wife, parents-in-law and two other relatives to death, is now in custody. Khaosod is reporting that 37 year old Teeraphol Pin-amon, who allegedly shot five people to death in their home in Uttaradit province last Sunday, has now been apprehended while he was hiding in a forest in Ranong today. Uttaradit is…
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