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 to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Lampang serial masturbator caught red-handed
PHOTO: Sanook A Lampang man was reported to police for masturbating at public toilets at a local petrol station. 28 year old Theerasak was taken to the scene at the PPT station with police, hopefully not to re-enact the crime. According to police, the maid at the PTT petrol station in the city district had earlier “shrieked in horror” when she…
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Poll shows favour towards Prayut as next PM
• 39 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the efforts in solving ‘dark influence’ problems • 31.9 percent said they were satisfied with the achievement in tackling human trafficking problems Thirty-nine percent of more than 2,000 respondents in the latest Super Poll opinion poll are satisfied with the performance of the Prayut government and the NCPO in peace restoration and…
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Seven dead after murder/suicide at New Year party in Chumphon
PHOTO: Thinnakorn, right, speaks to his family following the murders by Prasit Leelahakhunakorn A 41 year old is dead after killing six of his relatives, including his two children aged 6 and 9 and then turning the gun on himself. The incident happened during a new year party at their home in Chumphon. Police were alerted to the shootings just…
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National road toll – Day Five “Seven Days of Danger”
“Chiang Mai has reported the highest cumulative crashes with 91 cases yesterday.” 314 lives have been lost in 2,761 road incidents over the first five days of the New Year seven day safety campaign. 2,848 people have been injured during the same period around Thailand’s roads. The most cited causes for Monday’s road incidents were drunk driving (44.9 per cent)…
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The legalisation of cannabis for medical use – more questions than answers
by Laura Villadiego “Despite what looks to be the biggest step in decades towards legalisation of cannabis in Thailand… the use of cannabis in Thailand without a licence is still punishable with jail terms.” Unclear licensing rules have given rise to fears foreign firms might apply for patents and squeeze out local players There are concerns the public might think…
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King Maha Vajiralongkorn wishes Thais well for a prosperous 2019
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has offered New Year blessings by wishing everybody happiness, prosperity, good health and wisdom for the coming year. “When you have love, goodwill, wisdom and reason, as well as moderation, patience, perseverance and problem-solving skills, you will be happy and satisfied with yourself. “As a result, there will be happiness within your family, society and…
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National death toll rises to 236 – Day Four in the “seven dangerous days”
A total of 236 people have killed and 2,265 others injured in 2,194 road accidents after number were released for the first four days of the New Year holiday period’s “seven dangerous days”. The tally includes deaths and injuries from last Thursday up to Sunday night. Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima had the highest cumulative fatalities of 12 deaths each,…
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Four minors and three men charged with gang rape of 13 year old Thai girl
PHOTO: Ban Kruat Hospital The parents of a 13 year old girl filed complaints that their daughter was gang raped by seven young men who lured her into a schools toilet in tambon Bung Charoen late Friday evening. The town is east of Bangkok near the Cambodian border. Out of the seven men, aged 14-22, four were minors and have been…
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30% rise in drink driving incidents
FILE PHOTO Despite all the hoopla, promises, checkpoints on all major roads and extensive media campaign, drink driving remains the leading cause of accidents over the first three days of the New Year holiday road safety period – aka. The Seven Days of Danger. Police report a 30% rise in drink-driving arrests up to last Saturday. 6,000 breathalysers and radar…
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Bomb and grenade attacks rattle Thailand’s southern provinces
The Thai PM has described the attackers as “opportunists” after a wave of coordinated bomb attacks by suspected insurgents hit Thailand’s “deep south” in the lead-up to new year and the resulting long weekend. The latest attacks occurred on Friday night in a series of seven separate incidents in three separate districts of Narathiwat province. Two bomb attacks occurred in…
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Day Two: Seven days of danger – National road toll
FILE PHOTO An update on the national toll following the second of the annual road campaign days. The death toll from road accidents in the first two days of the “Seven Dangerous Days” of the New Year holidays has risen to 98, while 1,024 others were injured nationwide, the transport minister said today. Transport Minister Akom Termpithayaphaisit told a press…
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“Make the economy better” – NIDA poll
The December 24-26 National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) poll of 1,252 people across the country over age 18 and of various levels of education and occupations asked what they wanted from the government that will be formed after the election scheduled for late February. More than anything Thais want the government to improve the economy. More than 52 per cent…
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Ex-Mitsubishi executives confess to bribing Thai port officials
PHOTO: Nikkei Asian Review Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems former executives, 63 year old Fuyuhiko Nishikida and 57 year old Yoshiki Tsuji, have confessed to bribing a Thai public servant to ensure smooth treatment of cargo through a southern port of Thailand. This follows the scandal surrounding the construction of a power plant in Thailand in 2013 and allegations made towards…
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UPDATE: Golf cart accident kills two Koreans in Phitsanulok
by Rob Picheta and Kocha Olarn Two men died after one of their golf carts rammed the other into a river on a course in northern Thailand. CNN reports that the men, who were visiting from South Korea, were golfing with their wives Tuesday in northern Thailand’s Phitsanulok province. While mounting a raft in order to cross the river that…
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Child porn and fraud arrests among festive season stings
by Suriya Patathayo “Eight suspects arrested over child pornography charges.” As the annual ‘silly season’ rolls out, immigration police chief Pol Maj-General Surachate Hakpal in Bangkok wanted to make sure we hadn’t forgotten him. In a media scrum yesterday he reported four recent arrests – “Net Idol” fraud suspects, the arrest of an alleged con artist using the lure of…
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NACC finds Prawit innocent in relation to luxury watches
“The controversy erupted late last year when Prawit showed up at a Cabinet meeting sporting a Richard Mille designer wristwatch said to be worth nearly 3 million baht.” The National Anti-Corruption Commission has ruled in favour of Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan, saying he was not guilty of falsely reporting or concealing his assets. The national anti-graft commission’s secretary general Worawit…
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Hotel room rates remain stagnant whilst Airbnb continues to grow in Thailand
PHOTO: Airbnb As the head-scratching continues as to why traveller aren’t drinking expensive beers in girlie bars and avoiding ‘traditional’ tourist haunts, Airbnb has a record year in Thailand, signaling more problems for the hotel business as tourists seek alternative holiday experiences. As the number of guests continues to trend upwards with more than 1.65 million inbound Airbnb guests to…
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Prawit’s luxury watch probe, delayed outcome by the NACC
Uncertainty over the fate of Deputy PM Gen Prawit Wongsuwan continued yesterday after the country’s anti-graft watchdog failed to deliver its report on the probe into Prawit’s collection of luxury wristwatches. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) was scheduled to discuss the case and make a decision on the matter yesterday but postponed its meeting yet again, because a commissioner had…
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Thailand approves medical marijuana
CNN reports… Thailand’s interim parliament voted to allow the use of medical cannabis. Recreational use of the drug remains illegal. Lawmaker Somchai Sawangkarn says the passing of an amendment to allow medical marijuana in the country “could be considered as a New Year gift to Thais.” “The amendment (on the Narcotics Bill) was passed on the second and third readings…
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Tourism arrivals in Thailand up 7.5% so far this year
• Chinese tourists are still accounting for nearly a third of arrivals. • Russian, UK and German tourists record strong rises for 2018 • Australian and New Zealand arrivals down just over 1% (average) for the year The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced the tourism figures for January-November 2018, providing an accurate indication of what the country can…
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Free internet for low income earners with registered welfare cards
Photo: Backyard Travel The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has announced a project where some 1.8 million registered low-income earners, especially in remote areas, will receive internet in their home for three years. As part of a Universal Service Obligation (USO) project, the aim is to close the ‘digital gap’ providing internet access to 2.1 million households or 6.3…
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Medical marijuana is now legal in Thailand
• Possession of marijuana and krathom within legal limits will be allowed for treatment of certain diseases, for first aid or in cases of emergency •The committee has the authority to give permission to requests for production, import and export of marijuana A new law that legitimises the use of marijuana for medical purposes has sailed through the National Legislative Assembly…
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Cabinet passes civil partnership bill for same-sex couples
If you’re at least 20 years old, and one of you has Thai nationality, then, as a same-sex couple, you will soon be able to marry in Thailand. The cabinet has approved the civil partnership Bill, paving the way for Thailand to become the first country in Asia to endorse same-sex marriage. The current Bill, approved by the Cabinet yesterday,…
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Imam shot in Christmas Day shooting outside Pattani mosque
An Imam has been shot dead in front of a Pattani mosque today. Police report that the shooting happened in front of Ban Tha Rab Mosque in Muang district and identified the victim as 45 year old Sama-ae Jehma. Pol Captain Sirisak Wangkulam said Sama-ae led prayers and delivered sermons this morning. He then went to leave the mosque when someone…
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“Prayut unfit to be the PM” – ex Cabinet colleague
The Thai PM and the recently formed pro-junta political party are on the defensive as the chains are off other parties criticising them in the lead up to next year’s election. A Government Spokesman, Buddhipong Punnakanta, has been wheeled out to speak to the media over the allegations made by a former Cabinet member citing the Junta chief’s indecisiveness, aggressiveness…
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PR Model claims ex boyfriend kidnaps father for third time
PHOTOS: Pailin Yokklin (FB) Pailin Yokklin, a 23 year old model from Kanchanaburi, is filing a police report against her ex boyfriend Sukhum Manaim as he has allegedly kidnapped her father three times now. Sukhum will be charged with ‘confinement’. He has previously tried to stop Pailin from working at her PR job due to jealousy. Pailin claims the man…
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Elephants help search for missing Burmese boy
PHOTO: Thairath The latest update in our recent coverage of the missing boy in Suphan Buri is that four elephants have joined the search party, which now includes, police helicopters, drones, sniffer dogs, and frogmen. Police, military personnel, local administration officials and private rescue workers make up the 300 strong search party. The missing 2 year old Burmese boy is…
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Thailand now in world’s top 100 most expensive places to live for expats
Singapore and Thailand are among the fastest risers in a survey of most expensive locations in the world for expats. Asian Correspondent is reporting that multinational human resource consultants ECA International, in its recent Cost of Living survey, revealed that Thailand rose 32 places this year to enter the top 100 most expensive locations in the world. Lee Quane, the…
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More than 300 involved in search for missing two year old
• 300 officers and volunteers involved in search for missing two year old • Police haven’t ruled our kidnapping as a motive in the disappearance PHOTO: vaaju.com More than 300 people have been involved in a search for a missing two year old as they scoured a 200 rai plantation in Suphan Buri, north west of Bangkok. The boy has…
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Fine tuning on same-sex Bill before it goes to Cabinet next week
by Kornrawee Panyasuppakun The Life Partnership Bill has been updated to recognise more rights for same-sex couples before it heads to the Cabinet for approval next week. The latest version of the bill now includes a phrase that says non-heterosexual couples will have the right to “make medical decisions” and “hold a funeral” for their incapacitated or deceased spouse, both…
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