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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UPDATE: Police interview two men over assault in Pattaya
Thai Visa reports…. Not 72 years old and not Australian The ‘Australian’ pensioner who was floored by a left hook in the parking lot of a Pattaya school on Wednesday after a road rage incident is really British national 77 year old George Collins Thaivisa can reveal. Mr Collins admitted that despite living in Brisbane for many years he considers himself…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, October 12
Pheu Thai and investors welcome election date confirmation | Owners with drones have 90 days to register, or else | Soi Cowboy in BKK told to close down | More flights from Thai Airways | An 84 year old academic being indicted over a famous Thai 16th century battle.
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Poll welcomed by political parties and investors, but…
While the planned election in November next year announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been welcomed, politicians say controls on political activities should be relaxed and investors still view the situation as uncertain. The heads of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) and National Legislative Assembly (NLA) have jointly echoed the junta leader’s promise and assured that organic laws would…
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Hot hotel trends – Branded residences
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com Asia’s property developers are jumping into bed with hotel groups as branded residences flourish. Southeast Asia’s real estate love affair between property developers and hotel brands is morphing into a feeding frenzy. With nearly 100 mainstream hotel residence projects and over 21,000 units completed, the next three years is set to take the sector into…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 11
No buts, no butts on beaches | Prayut confirms election date | Thailand’s most profitable national parks | Ofo wants its share-bikes back | Four tonne drug haul in Thai/Australian sting.
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Reports that Yingluck has asylum status in the UK
Just when you thought we were going to have a Shinawatra-free day, Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai says his ministry would need to verify news reports that former PM Yingluck Shinawatra had gained asylum status in the United Kingdom. Don asked people not to jump the gun and pressure the ministry to take action. He personally preferred to avoid using…
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UPDATE: Beach butt ban
After finding a large amount of cigarettes on Patong Beach following the results of several volunteer beach cleans, the Director General of Marine and Coastal Department announced that from November onward, the department will enforce the law – Section 17 of Marine and Coastal Management Promotion Act – to prohibit smoking on the beach. “After collecting trash from Patong Beach,…
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Koh Phi Phi – Thailand’s most profitable national park
Phi Phi Islands is the most profitable national park in the nation for 2 years in a row. Had Nopparat Thara – Phi Phi Island National Park has officially reached the highest income among the national parks across the country this year with 669 million Baht. The statistic were revealed by the Department of Nature, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP)…
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Second tragedy – another car found in California’s Kings Canyon
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office in California has retrieved the bodies of two Chinese passengers and the wreckage of their rental Ford Focus that have been submerged in King’s River since early August. The vehicle was found near where a car containing two Thai students came to rest after plunging off a cliff in late July. The passengers were identified…
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And the world’s most visited city is…?
The list of the world’s most visited cities, according to the Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index, has been released. And no surprises who’s at the number one position. Bangkok. The Big Mango beat London, Paris, Dubai and Singapore to the top position and doubled the amount of visitors heading to places like Hong Kong, Istanbul and Barcelona. Tokyo, New York…
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Taking the bang out of this year’s Vegetarian Festival
This year’s Vegetarian Festival will still be taking place between October 20 – 28. But organisers have been asked to ‘tone it down’ (how do you tone down the Vegetarian Festival?!) and restrict parades until the last day only in respect of the funeral for the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok. Whilst the festival is meant to be about…
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Yingluck pondering asylum in UK, France or Germany
Latest from The Nation Fugitive former PM Yingluck Shinawatra is considering applying for political asylum in the United Kingdom, Germany or France, a source from her legal team said yesterday. The preference is UK, where she is now residing on a tourist visa, the source said, but declined to elaborate which passport she is using. The source said the UK…
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More legal challenges for Thaksin
Ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra faces mounting legal problems following the new Attorney-General Khemchai Chutiwong’s announcement yesterday that he would reactivate many of the cases that had been suspended against the fugitive. The new law on criminal procedures for political office holders, which came into force on September 28, authorised the Office of Attorney-General to proceed with cases in…
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When can I get my hands on a new iPhone in Thailand?
We revelled in the hype, we read all the leaks, we watched the launch. So when can we actually get our hands on a new iPhone in Thailand? Apple has now confirmed the release dates for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in the Land of Smiles. Roll the drums…. November 3rd. So how much will the new iPhones…
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THAIGER TODAY Friday, October 6
Election delayed until 2019 | Laypang won’t be released to the wild | Kasikorn Bank has revised it’s predictions for Thai economy | Big drug haul in Phuket Town | Janitor gets special surprise from students.
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Economic forecasts being revised upwards
Kasikorn Research Centre has revised upwards its forecast for the nation’s GDP growth this year to 3.7 per cent from the previous projection of 3.4 per cent. Exports and a strong recovery in the tourism sector are the main drivers of the increased growth, said the centre’s managing director, Charl Kengchon on Thursday at a press conference on “Thai Economic…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, October 5
It’s a bomb, an old bomb | Joint statement from White House mentions new Thai elections | Civil aviation ‘report card’ verdict soon | Swarms of pink fire jellyfish at Koh Gai | Tesco Lotus closing 1,900 stores on October 26.
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Record turnout expected on final day to pay respects before Royal Urn
Tens of thousands of mourners are forming long queues today (Thursday) to pay their last respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace in Bangkok on the final day for public viewing of the Royal Urn. The Royal Household Bureau on Thursday reported that 12,628,642 mourners had viewed…
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“Unacceptable… for such a large commercial aircraft to be missing”
It’s been three and a half years since Malaysian Airlines flight 370 vanished. Investigators say it is “inconceivable” that we still have no idea what happened to the plane, the passengers or the crew. Despite speculation, conspiracy theories, extensive searches, data analysis, books and pressure from the families of the missing passengers, almost nothing is still know all these years…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 4
Suspicious ‘torpedo’ shaped object at Nai Yang Beach | Roadworks on Kaw Sim Bee Road | Final two days to pay respects at Grand Palace | Retiring teachers being offered short-term contracts | Rohingya suspicious of Myanmar Government offers | PM Prayut and US President Trump talk trade and elections.
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Rohingya’s refugees suspicious of Myanmar’s assurances to allow them back
The plight of Myanmar’s Rohingya continues to be parlous despite aid agencies and the UN getting more access to the region and the flood of refugees flowing over the border into Bangladesh. But Rohingya Muslims, now in Bangladesh, remain sceptical about their chances of ever going back to Myanmar, even though the government there is offering assurances it will accept…
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Heavy rain periods in Phuket until Friday
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is warning people in most parts of Thailand about “outbreaks of abundant rain and possible flash floods” from today until Friday. Isolated torrential downpours and gusty winds will especially affect the North, the Northeast and the Central regions, including Bangkok and its vicinity, the East and the South (that’s just about the whole of Thailand!).…
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And the next Thailand election date is… ?
Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan on Tuesday refused to confirm the election date despite the fact that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has informed US President Donald Trump that it will take place next year. Prawit, who chaired the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said the election date depended on the completion of the four organic laws necessary for it…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 3
‘Trade talk’ between Prayut and Donald at White House | Police have issued a Blue Notice to Interpol over Yingluck’s disappearance | Thailand looking to revise it’s GDP predictions | Khon Kaen bus driver caught using his phone whilst driving.
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The Prayut and Donald Show – official meeting at the White House
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday met US President Donald Trump in the White House’s Oval Office. Prayut began by offering his condolences to Trump on the disasters caused by hurricanes hitting Texas and Puerto Rico towards which the Thai government and the private sector had sent humanitarian assistance. The PM said Thailand was ready to do more, according…
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Army warn groups stirring up trouble during Royal Funeral period
Army Chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart Breaking News from The Nation Security officials have detected signs on social media of intent to provoke a public disturbance during the week of the funeral for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and have issued warnings to those concerned about such an attempt. Army Chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart said on Monday that those seeking to…
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JetStar flight makes an emergency landing at Chiang Mai
A Jetstar Airways plane flying from Vietnam made an emergency landing at Chiang Mai International Airport at 11.46am on Monday, officials said. The flight had taken off from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi heading to India, they said. The Chiang Mai airport received the emergency landing request at 11:20am, and the plane landed safely. The plane had 181 passengers…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 2
Coming from Bang Wad in Kathu today… A 23 year old Chinese tourist, Shi Yieing, drowned over the weekend | US President and the Thai PM meet today in Washington for talks | More pink fire jellyfish found off Koh Hong | Sunday’s Run 2Gether in Phuket Town a high success.
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Things you need to know if you’re travelling to Thailand and Bangkok in October
During this month there will be a lot of small and larger changes as Thailand gets ready to bid a sad, final farewell to the much-loved and revered HM King Bhumibol who passed on October 13 last year. Most of the changes will be around Bangkok, especially the Sanam Luang Park area around the Grand Palace. But there will also…
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