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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
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“I disagree with the plan” – Prayut disses steep rise in license penalties
Before you get too worked up about the proposed steep rise in penalties for driving license-related violations, you have someone on your side. The Thai PM. The Land Transport Department (LTD)’s plan to impose much tougher penalties on driving-licence-related offenders has hit a major snag – opposition from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. “I disagree with the plan,” General Prayut announced…
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Loosening the shackles, nid noi
FILE PHOTO by Kas Chanwanpen, Khanittha Theppajon Thai politicians are giving a cautious thumbs up to the junta’s easing of political restrictions that have been in place since the 2014 coup – but they say more has to be done to allow political parties to better prepare for next year’s election. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that the ban…
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Prem turns 98, pays visit to Supreme Patriarch
General Prem Tinsulanonda, the president of the Privy Council and chief royal adviser, has marked his 98th birthday Sunday by calling on the Supreme Patriarch at Ratchabophit Temple. Despite being only two years short of a century in age, Prem appeared to be in good health, and was able to walk without assistance. He made merit by providing a meal…
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Separate tests, different licenses for big and small motorbike riders
PHOTO: The Thai PM tries his hand at big-bike riding in promotions for the Buriram MotoGP – Daily News Daily News reports that a senior government spokesman says the cabinet agrees with the idea of treating big bikes and other bikes separately in terms of education and licensing. A proposal says that in order to lessen road accidents those riding big…
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
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Ban military conscription, sell the submarines – Pheu Thai
The Pheu Thai Party, the political party who won elections under Thaksin, then Yingluck Shinawatra, will abolish compulsory military conscription if it is returned to power after the next election. The former ruling party also says it will sell the Navy’s submarines and use the money to fund the construction of hospitals, the source added. The party came up with…
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Thaiger Radio News – Monday
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Traveling tax dodgers – Immigration & Customs want you to pay import duty
If you travel overseas often and bring back luxury items to resell online, the Immigration Division has you on its radar. You have to pay import duties, it says. “We’ve had reports about people even taking orders in advance for goods to bring back,” Pol Colonel Choengron Rimpadee, the division’s deputy spokesman, said on Sunday. He said Immigration officials would…
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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His Majesty asks government to step up flood relief
PHOTO: Riding around Phetchaburi town today – The Nation His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has expressed concern for the people affected by floods around the country and has ordered the government to do its best to help them, according to the Thai PM. Government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd quoted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as conveying the concerns of His Majesty for his…
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Thaiger Radio News – Saturday
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Online shopping attracts attention from Customs Department
We’re getting more used to online shopping. And the Thai Customs Department are getting better at tracking and taxing incoming goods. The Customs Department has stepped up its tax collection for online shopping and provided more convenient services for taxpayers, Kulit Sombatsiri, director general of the Customs Department, said on Thursday. E-shopping for overseas goods had led to tariff collection…
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Time to take off the gag – PM to lift political ban
As an election firms up, somewhere between February 24 and May in 2019, the PM is under pressure to losses the strings – allowing political parties to carry out political activities, banned since the coup took place in May 2014. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to invoke his executive power under Article 44 of the interim Constitution to ease political…
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Chaiyaphum police suspended over local sex-bribery scandal
Three police commanders in Chaiyaphum’s Muang district have reportedly been transferred to inactive posts, pending a probe over bribery allegations involving underage prostitution. A source at the Royal Thai Police said the Muang Chaiyaphum precinct superintendent Col Pongpat Chaengmeunwai, inspector Maj Pornchai Saengsila and Pornchai’s deputy inspector Capt Uthai Hongwiset had been summoned to the provincial headquarters. Evidence of bribery…
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Thaiger Radio News – Thursday
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Flooding in Phuket, Phetchaburi and Mae Hong Son
PHOTO: Samkong underpass, Phuket – Newshawk Bad weather has hit Phang Nga and Phuket this morning whilst the flooding waters from the Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi are now reaching the main business district. In Phuket the major arteries are being clogged by flooding waters creating havoc for this morning’s peak hour. The Marine Office has issued a warning for…
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New driving laws almost ready for Cabinet consideration
With this year’s new year festivities only four months away, the government is keen to get new driving laws enshrined and operational to help avoid another holiday festival where Thais, expats and tourists, wipe themselves out on the Kingdom’s roads. The Nation is reporting that a revamping of fines and jail terms for Thai motorists driving without a licence will…
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‘Travel Thailand in Style, Reduce Plastic Waste’ – TAT waste reduction program
“We will encourage consumption of reusable or sustainable items; such as, plant-based drinking straws instead of plastic straws.” The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced its new ‘Travel Thailand in Style, Reduce Plastic Waste’ initiative in collaboration with various Thai stakeholders in a bid to cut tourism-related waste by up to 50 per cent by 2020. The ambitious project…
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Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday
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February. Yes, probably, maybe…
PHOTO: The Nation The Thai PM has endorsed a statement made by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam over the weekend that February 24 is the first possible date an election can be held. He says there is no justification for a general election to take place before that date. Speaking to reporters after the mobile Cabinet meeting in Chumphorn, the prime minister repeated…
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50,000 baht fine and 3 months jail for driving without a license – transport law upgrades
Thai Rath are reporting that proposals are in the pipeline for a large scale revamp of fines and jail terms for Thais without driving licenses. They claim that the top police say road behavior needs to change and that they’ve had enough. The transport ministry is recommending the changes for two out of date laws that date back to 1979. This…
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Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.
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Thaiger Radio News – Monday
Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.
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Nearly 15 million methamphetamine tablets seized in Ayutthaya
PHOTO: Bernama WebTV Narcotics police have seized a massive amount of 14.8 million methamphetamine pills hidden in fruit boxes and then stored in a container at a warehouse in the central province of Ayutthaya yesterday (Sunday). Deputy commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said that the huge drug haul was contained in 1,700 fruit boxes each carrying 200,000 meth pills.…
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Resorts near Kaeng Krachan dam in Petchaburi temporarily closed
PHOTOS: The Nation More than 30 resorts downstream of the Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi province, are being closed temporarily due to heavy flooding. Thai PBS reports that floodwater levels at the 30 plus resorts range from 1-3 metres making it impossible to carry on with their business. It’s also been reported that spillover water from the spillway has heavily…
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Thaiger Radio News – Sunday
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30 more villages in Phayao hit by floods – PM asks Thais to monitor weather
A total of 30 villages in six tambons of Phayao’s Pong district have been whacked by floods yesterday (Saturday). Two other villages in the province’s Chiang Kham district were earlier reported struck by flood damage. Phayao is wedged between Chiang Mai and the Laos border. Pong district chief Sit Wongman said the Khuan and Ngim rivers in his districts had…
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Increased fines, better training – changes to motorbike use in Thailand
In efforts to temper the world’s number one road toll, a specially-formed Thai committee are poised to recommend a series of new measures to curb, specifically, motorcycle deaths by up to 50% per year. Some of these include raising fines for not having a license by as much as 1000%, introducing more bike lanes and targeting accident black spots. Daily…
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Students to PM “Cancel the student conduct regulations”
PHOTO: Sa-nguan Khumrungroj/Facebook The Student Union of Thailand is calling on junta leader PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha to cancel the controversial regulations controlling student conduct. Read the report about the ‘moral’ crackdown HERE. Citing a serious infringement on privacy and their rights to political expression, the union, led by activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, submitted a letter asking the Education Ministry…
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Tourist numbers tumble as Chinese media expose entrenched safety problems
The fallout from July’s tragic boat accident are just now starting to bite as tourists, who would have been about to make a booking around the time the accident happened, decided to book an alternate holiday destination instead. Despite the bravado and PR exercises, many Thai business people are secretly worried about the big drop-off in numbers. The drop in…
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